The Outlast Trials announced, here's how to sign up for the closed beta

Red Barrels has finally given fans a glimpse at what's to come, and that's The Outlast Trials. We've known about the latest Outlast instalment for some time now, but it's been a while since we'd heard any real news about the horror title.

Well, that changed at Gamescom Opening Night Live. Red Barrels revealed a brand-new closed beta trailer for the game, which takes us back to a more familiar setting than that of the lacklustre Outlast 2.

No, it's not Mount Massive Asylum. Instead, The Outlast Trials takes us to Sunshine Orphanage which seems to promise the same claustrophobia and endless corridors to get lost in. It appears we'll also even be able to explore an amusement park and various underground streets as we once again try to get to the bottom of Murkoff Corporations cruel experiments.

This time, though, we can also expect neurotic clowns and doll-like enemies to be taking to the stage. As if we needed The Outlast Trials to be any more terrifying than fleeing the results of inhumane experiments gone wrong, we very well could be part of an experiment ourselves.

During the Cold War era, yourself and your friends take on the role of Reagents; test subjects kidnapped by Murkoff Corporation and imprisoned in an underground facility. Your job is to find your way through the myriad of tunnels while dealing with torment from the likes of Mother Gooseberry and more. You might make it out alive, but it is questionable as to how intact your sanity may be after The Outlast Trials.

The Outlast Trials has also promised a new feature that the prior games didn't have: four-player co-op. So, we need not be scared senseless in single player anymore. Instead, we can share all the terror with our friends, yay! That said, the game is set to be a PC exclusive. This is certainly some news we didn't expect, given that the prior Outlast games have been playable on consoles. That said, more platforms could certainly be revealed - we'll have to wait and see.

If the game proves to be as terrifying as Outlast was back in 2013, we're in for one hell of a ride. While the closed beta test runs from October 28 to November 1 - suitably over Halloween - the game does not yet have an official release date. So, we could still be waiting a short while after the closed beta for The Outlast Trials launch.

How do I join The Outlast Trials closed beta test?

As long as you've a PC and a Steam account, you can sign up for The Outlast Trials closed beta test in a matter of seconds.

• Open Steam, and make sure you're logged in.
• Go to The Outlast Trials page.
• Under 'Join the Uninitialized', select 'Request Access'.

That's it! Once you've clicked those, you'll have registered your interest for the beta. Simply look out for an email invitation when the beta is ready.

If being terrified is your thing, Gamescom ONL also gave us a further look at The Callisto Protocol gameplay, which appears to promise a truly gruesome experience in space.