About this template
Outlast turned the camera into the most important tool in horror gaming. The night vision mode on the protagonist's camcorder is the only way to see in pitch-black environments, but it drains batteries that are almost never plentiful enough. The viewfinder creates a layer of separation between player and horror: you are watching events through a screen, like found footage, and that framing makes everything feel documented and real.
Summer Engine helps you build that camcorder-driven horror. Describe your asylum, compound, or abandoned facility. The AI scaffolds night vision rendering, battery resource management, chase sequence triggers, and hiding spot mechanics so you can focus on designing the encounters and setpieces that make players put the controller down.
The chase sequences are what define an Outlast-style game. These are not optional encounters. The player rounds a corner, something massive starts running at them, and the next sixty seconds are pure adrenaline: sprinting, vaulting, sliding under obstacles, and diving into lockers. The design challenge is making these sequences feel desperate without being unfair.
Who it's for
- Developers who want to build relentless, high-intensity horror driven by chase sequences and environmental setpieces.
- Filmmakers and found-footage fans who see the camcorder as a narrative device, not just a gameplay gimmick.
- Horror creators who want to explore disturbing themes through environmental storytelling and document-based narrative.
- Solo devs building a linear, intensely paced horror experience designed for streaming and content creation.
Highlights
Asylum Demo
Build one wing of an asylum with night vision exploration, two chase sequences, locker hiding, and a battery economy. A 20-minute experience designed to be terrifying and streamable.
Full Found-Footage Campaign
A 5-7 hour game across multiple connected areas. The camcorder records key events automatically. Battery management escalates as areas get darker. Multiple antagonists with different pursuit behaviors.
Documentary Horror
The protagonist is an investigative journalist. The camcorder records evidence. Notes and documents build the conspiracy. The horror is what the protagonist discovers about what happened here.
