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In the chemical-soaked nightmare that is The Outlast Trials, danger doesn’t always come at you with hammers or drills. Sometimes, it seeps into your lungs. Sometimes, it wears a gas mask and whispers “see what the lizards see.”
Meet the Pushers — Specialist enemies in the Trials who don’t kill you with brute force… they dissolve your grip on reality (which adds a lot of fun when you’re playing with friends, I must say).
🧪 Gas, Hallucinations, and the Skinner Man
Pushers are recognized by their ominous gas masks, fumigator tanks, and the creeping sense of “uh oh” when you hear the hiss of their toxins nearby. Their weapon of choice? A potent psychoactive chemical cocktail that sends Reagents spiraling into psychosis — a hallucinatory state where the nightmarish Skinner Man becomes real… at least, real enough to kill you.
This isn’t just fear — it’s weaponized delusion. And it’s horrifyingly effective.
🧬 From Scientists to Subjects: The Twisted Origin of the Pushers
Before they became chemically fanatical madmen, the Pushers were once Murkoff researchers stationed at the Sinyala Facility. They weren’t the ones being tested on — at least not initially. While developing hallucinogenic agents for use on subjects, the staff themselves were exposed to their own creations.
The result? A slow descent into chemical-induced psychosis — their minds twisted by the very tools they wielded. According to Murkoff Case Files, some even developed a disturbing bond with the Skinner Man, describing it in almost spiritual terms: “Like a child clinging to a priest.”
Comforting, right?
🧪 Dr. Easterman’s Vision: Weaponize the Broken
Rather than tossing these broken minds into the trash heap, Dr. Easterman, ever the innovator (read: ethical disaster), saw potential. He had them inducted into the Experimental Population as “Pushers” — giving them license to continue their chemical experiments directly on Reagents.
Pushers are now responsible for the ever-evolving amphetamine-hallucinogen blends used in the Trials. And just when you think you’ve built up a tolerance? They change the formula. Again.
😵 What It Means for You, Reagent
When a Pusher hits the field, it’s no longer just about stealth or escape — it becomes a war for your mind. Psychosis isn’t just a debuff — it changes your reality. It turns you into prey for phantoms, forces you to question your senses, and makes survival… flexible.
Stay sharp. Stay sober. And check out our lore on the Berserkers and Franco Barbi.
