Demoing a survival horror game or even any game that relies on sound and atmosphere is really hard at a convention. The bright lights and the noise make immersing yourself a struggle, so the guys at Red Barrel were grinning with delight when they heard screams and profanities coming from their sheltered booth. This group of ex-Ubisoft devs invested in two booths with thick black curtains so you were alone with the game; put the headphones on in the dark and it's just like being at home at 2:00am playing a game that's going to give you a sleepless night.

With survival horror it's all about the execution, and whilst Outlast's premise of possible corporate experiments gone wrong in a former asylum feels familiar, the execution is what matters. At one point I jumped backwards so suddenly I almost flung the mouse off the desk. (If you play the game, wait until the library -- you'll see what I mean). Co-founder Philip Morin explained that Amnesia: The Dark Descent was a particular inspiration for Outlast in its non-combat approach to gameplay.