In The Outlast Trials, Trials and MK-Challenges are the activities you play; Rigs, Prescriptions, and Amps shape how your character approaches them. Trials are longer, story-driven therapies, while MK-Challenges are shorter activities set in modified or redesigned areas. Your loadout should fit the activity and, in a group, complement your teammates—not follow a supposedly universal “best build.”
Trials, MK-Challenges, Programs, and Variators: what’s the difference?
Trials
Trials are the longer, story-driven therapy activities. They are the main format to learn if you are looking for the game’s larger missions and progression. Red Barrels introduced these terms in its Early Access overview; the exact activities and board structure can change with updates.
MK-Challenges
MK-Challenges are shorter therapies that take place in modified or redesigned areas. Their shorter format makes them a distinct activity from a full Trial, rather than simply another name for one.
Programs and Variators
Programs group activities and connect them with rewards and progression. Variators alter Trials and affect their challenge. These are the broad definitions in Red Barrels’ 2023 Early Access explanation; use the live in-game board to see which programs, activities, and modifiers are currently available.
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How Rigs, Prescriptions, and Amps differ
| System | What it does | How to think about it |
|---|---|---|
| Rigs | Reusable tools for use during a Trial. | Choose for the utility you want and the activity’s demands; consider whether your choice complements your group. |
| Prescriptions | Character upgrades associated with physical and mental abilities. | Think of them as character development rather than a tool you deploy during a mission. |
| Amps | Contraband that adds another loadout option later in progression. | They are distinct from Rigs and Prescriptions; check the current game for availability and effects. |
These descriptions reflect Red Barrels’ May 2023 Early Access overview. That source is useful for understanding each system’s role, but it does not establish October 2026 item effects, costs, upgrade rules, unlock levels, or a current ranking. Check the live menus rather than relying on old purchase instructions or build lists.
How to choose a beginner loadout
- Look at the activity first. Check the current Trial board and identify the Trial or MK-Challenge you intend to play. Its demands should inform your choices.
- Pick a Rig for its utility. Consider what you want the tool to contribute in that activity instead of choosing one because an old guide calls it the best.
- Use Prescriptions to develop your character. Choose upgrades based on the abilities you value. Their exact current effects and acquisition rules should be read in the live game.
- Review Amps when they are available to you. They are a separate system; the older overview does not establish current unlock requirements or an ideal combination.
- If you are playing with others, compare loadouts. Red Barrels recommends coordinating with teammates or tailoring loadouts to each Trial. A group can plan complementary choices; solo players make those decisions without team coverage.
This is a decision process, not a current build prescription: the official overview supports Trial- and team-specific loadouts, but not a present-day tier list or universally strongest combination.
How progression works—and why the live board matters
At the game’s 1.0 launch in March 2024, Red Barrels described Program Genesis as the straightforward route toward Rebirth, with Release Tokens leading to a Release Protocol. That announcement also presented Program X and Program Ultra as later challenges. These are launch-era descriptions, not confirmed instructions for every current version.
For your next actionable step, follow the programs and requirements shown on the in-game Trial board. Red Barrels announced Season 7: Project Boneyard for July 14, 2026, with new content and changes including Rig and Knife Customization, Loadout Presets, Mastery Tasks, and reworks to Escalation and Invasion. On September 4, 2026, it announced Season 7.1 for September 8 and a roadmap through the end of 2026. Those updates show that the game is still changing; they do not establish that launch-era progression steps or every announced feature remain exactly as described today. See the 1.0 announcement, Season 7 announcement, and Season 7.1 roadmap announcement for their dated context.
Can you play solo, and how many players can join?
The game can be played alone or cooperatively. PlayStation’s listing specifies online play and up to four online players for the listed PS4 and PS5 versions. Red Barrels Game Director Alex Charbonneau described it as a cooperative PvE experience in which up to four players, called Reagents, take part in experiments. The player limit is from the PlayStation listing; platform availability and online requirements can vary, so check the store page for your platform.
Red Barrels announced cross-play at launch in March 2024, while its statement that cross-progression was not supported described the state at that time. If playing with friends across platforms—or carrying progress between platforms—matters to you, verify the current support for your platform rather than treating that dated cross-progression information as current. See the 1.0 announcement for the launch-era statement.
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What should a new player check before relying on a guide?
- Check its date. Red Barrels’ definitions of the loadout systems date to Early Access in May 2023; costs, effects, unlocks, and balance may have changed.
- Use the live board for progression. The 1.0 campaign route is historical context, not proof of today’s exact requirements.
- Distinguish advice from established mechanics. Matching a Rig to a Trial or coordinating with teammates is practical guidance supported by the game’s loadout framing, not evidence for a universal strongest build.
- Confirm platform details. Online requirements, player limits, cross-play, and cross-progression should be checked against current platform and game information.
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