Inside (2016)

This title is a dark, atmospheric puzzle-platformer developed by same studio behind the acclaimed Limbo. You take control of a unamed young boy navigating a dystopian and oppressive world, filled with shadowy figures, strange machinery, and environmental hazards. The game is presented in a 2.5D side-scrolling perspective, with meticulously crafted visuals and lighting that convey mood, tension, and storytelling without a single line of dialogue. Every detail, from the flickering lights to the distant sounds of unseen dangers, contributes to an immersive, haunting experience.

The puzzles are subtle yet clever, often requiring you to manipulate objects, avoid detection, or use physics in unexpected ways. The game gradually escalates the sense of danger, introducing new mechanics and threats that keep the you constantly alert. Unlike many games, it communicates its story entirely through its environment, animations, and occasional surreal sequences, leaving much open to interpretation. This minimalist approach makes each discovery feel impactful and emotionally resonant.

A lot of people have praised it for its remarkable art direction, tightly designed gameplay, and emotional depth. Its combination of suspense, subtle horror, and moments of quiet introspection has been described as both haunting and thought-provoking. Many have highlighted how the game expands on the themes of its predecessor Limbo, offering a richer narrative and more nuanced atmosphere. While some note that the core gameplay is simple and the experience relatively short, the tension, visual storytelling, and striking ending leave a lasting impression.

Overall, this game stands out as a masterful example of video games as art. Its blend of gameplay, environmental storytelling, and evocative design creates an experience that lingers in the mind long after the final scene. It is a game that challenges you not only with puzzles but also with emotions, making it one of the most memorable and acclaimed puzzle-platformers of its generation. If you liked Limbo, and if you interpret videogames as art, this is definitely one of the best you can experience, a must-play for fans of this kind of approach to gaming and story-telling.

It's been quite awhile since I played Limbo, but this reminds me a lot of Limbo. Particularly in the part where you watch a little boy get brutally murdered over & over & over. (PlayDead doesn't like little boys very much, do they?)

The atmosphere is decidedly unsettling, with lots of brutal violence and weird mind control being used on vaguely zombie-like people. But it all looks so pretty.

The puzzles aren't terribly difficult, but it's still satisfying when you clear them. I did have to look up the solution to one of the water puzzles (which probably would've been more intuitive if you could see what's going on underwater when you're outside of the water).

The ending: well, it's something. The whole final half-hour is something. I'll just leave it at that.

In trying to figure out if there was some secret meaning to the ending, I learned that apparently there's an alternate "true" ending, which requires collecting all 14 of the secret items scattered throughout the game (of which I only stumbled across one). I'll just take their word on that.

Wow... what did I just played... and where do I even begin?! Inside that takes puzzle platforming and story telling to the next level. The mechanics in the game is sharp, the graphics are dark/moody at the same time vibrant.

There’s not much I can say about the game except if you haven’t played the game. PLAY IT! I also suggest that you get the collectible for secret ending. It was bone chilling. PLAY THE GAME!

Critics' Scores:

Metacritic: 91/100

Game Informer: 9.75/10

EDGE: 9/10

Gamespot: 8/10

IGN: 10/10

Inside isn't that different form Playdead's previous title Limbo, but it's an astonishing improvement. It takes everything that made Limbo unique, and have pushed to its limits, the result: a masterpiece, or damn close.

Like in Limbo you control a boy; like in Limbo, the story isn't told with words but with its setting and impressive art-design. But the puzzles are even better, they are more enthralling, some of them are even more difficult and unlike in Limbo, the pace never suffered. The story it's intriguing, and convinces the player to push forward, to learn more about this world, to see more of it. But what has impressed me the most, it's the high level of production that it has.

The gameplay design remains similar to Limbo, it's still highly intuitive and minimalistic, yet engrossing. But, do you know this was made with the Unity engine? Because, let me state, that this is the best looking game I have seen, in a long time. Definitely one of the most impressive, no game does lighting like this one does, nobody plays that much attention to detail to the world, I don't mean it's textures, I mean this game has the best water physics and the best looking water in any game! The footprints in the mud, the blood in the floor, everything is incredibly detailed. And let me not forget, the animations, the character has weight! Has force and velocity! When he runs, jumps, he stumbles and tries to recover balance. When he climbs, his motion remain fluid, and the same goes to every single thing or being in the game. That's what I meant when I said that forgetting realism, the indie games often deliver the most striking images. And talking about images... I took a lot of photos; there's a ton of imagery that will stay with me forever, it is iconic. That's the best compliment I can give, a must for everyone.

Score: 97/100

note: from now on, I'll place "critics scores" at the beginning, and I'll place my final score at the end; it will not be influenced by them, my score is given at the moment I end the game.

Inside is a beautiful and artistic game set in a dystopian world of mind control. The level transition and design is amazing for a game designed in 3D using 2D platformer design in mind. The puzzles are not that hard but they are complex and can take you a few minutes to understand the solution. Brilliant atmosphere that keeps you engaged and wanting to push forward. It's not a very long game, but it doesn't have to be. Its content is great and has moments you'll remember fondly. Overall, a must play game, let's keep supporting indie developers!

Other people rate games by the number of hours they can get in it. Maybe they feel it makes it worth it. But I rate it according to how much I enjoyed it while playing whether its 2 hours, 10 hours or 80+ hours.

This game is from the same brilliant developers who made Limbo - a masterpiece. They did not disappoint. It's yet another masterpiece! It's short game but I enjoyed it every much despite being creeped out by the plot.

Let's get this out of the way - for a game that is focused and praised so highly for its dystopian narrative, Inside fails. Hard. Nothing is explained (other than in the most pretentious, cryptic, metaphorical way) and from start to finish, you're just scratching your head to why. No deep meaning, no emotional impact. Why 4/5?

It's fun and creepy as hell. For a puzzle platformer a-la Limbo (i.e. you learn by dying a lot), Inside is creepily bleak, atmospheric, and dang terrifying. Attack dogs, sea creatures, and killer shockwaves startle the player with death and, while the mechanics themselves aren't nearly as solid or realized as an actual puzzler, they give a steady stream of a-ha moments while giving the player enough room to think without getting frustrated.

Back to the creepy. As a young boy, you're infiltrating this facility where they're keeping people and...doing experiments? I guess? It's never explained, but you have a variety of obstacles and things to work with, like mind-slave groups, rotting pigs, random jumpy boxes, a submarine, and a spoilery portion at the end which combines body horror and power fantasy in a satisfying finish.

This game is not a good story game. For the player, it will remain frustrating and obtuse to those looking to get any concrete meaning. As a game, however, it's a solid snack bite that will scare and startle the player as they are drawn into bleak forests and facilities, finding their way out.

This is an outstanding game in just about every way.

Pros:

+ Gorgeous sound and graphics

+ Intuitive puzzles that can be tricky but do a terrific job of making you feel smart while not being too frustrating.

+ Immense atmosphere with superb world-building.

+ A welcome level of artistic ambiguity.

Cons:

- It's only 3-4 hours long, and I honestly could've played this for hours and hours longer than that.

- Trial and error gameplay won't be for everyone, but I'd wager it's easier than Limbo and the checkpoint system keeps boring repetition to a minimum

- The abrupt ending and general lack of explanation might turn some off.