On the back of their award-winning platformer Limbo, developers Playdead have brought us their curious new title, Inside. Sticking close to what they know, Playdead have crafted another beautiful physics-based puzzle platformer, whose absolutely stunning visual and world design and thoughtful puzzle mechanics make it a triumph of indie ingenuity.
Don’t get caught
Inside places the player in control of a solitary young boy who in simple terms must navigate through a hostile environment by solving a series of puzzles. While we are given no context as to how the boy has found himself alone and on the run, there’s an immediate sense of apprehension as we are thrust into a largely monochromatic world full of danger on all sides. There isn’t a classic narrative as such, but the beautifully detailed environments hold many subtle and not so subtle clues as to the workings of Inside’s oppressive world. While details are vague by design, there’s a deep sense of wonder and mystery as you traverse the world, with a constant curiosity spurring you on. Themes of slavery, classism, birth/rebirth and innocence lost weave their way through every fabric of your surroundings; this is a world gone mad, and as you progress ever onwards you get an overwhelming feeling that something is deeply, deeply wrong with this place. Much like Limbo, the powerful setting lends itself to open interpretation, allowing your imagination to roam wild as you wonder what could have possibly led to the reality you find yourself in.
Child of the Corn
This is not what it looks like
…this is a world gone mad, and as you progress ever onwards you get an overwhelming feeling that something is deeply, deeply wrong with this place…
Inside’s setting is brought to life by an incredible visual design that strikes a consistent tone throughout your journey. Opting for a dark and muted vibe, the environments are largely painted in hues of black and white, save for the young boy’s red shirt. It sounds like this would be dreary and depressing, and it is, but there’s just an amazing expressiveness and attention to detail in absolutely every aspect that makes it a sheer joy to experience. The developers have shown a deft hand in being able to play with light and shadow, and the underwater sections are nothing short of breathtaking. Make no mistake, this is art in motion.
The strong visuals are accompanied by impressively varied and intelligent physics-based puzzle design. While the puzzles aren’t mind-bendingly difficult and it’s unlikely you’ll be scratching your head for too long in any given section, the clever solutions and use of unique mechanics often brought a smile to my face. You’ll also have to avoid hostile enemies ranging from shadowy human figures and soulless machines to unnerving apparitions which wouldn’t be out of place in a Japanese horror film. With your only task really being to keep on moving forward, the mechanics by which you do so constantly shift and combine throughout your journey in an intuitive and organic fashion. The controls are very simple, and other than two dimensional movement you can only jump and grab certain items and flick switches, but there’s also a great mind-control mechanic whereby you can strap your noggin to a device and take control of the slave workers that populate some of the world to solve puzzles. I was reminded somewhat of Abe’s Odyssey (which is no small praise), except for in this case it seems you aren’t able to save the workers. This in itself ends up having a certain emotional impact; many times I’d finish a section only to have to leave the mindless workers who had helped me behind, and I felt a certain sense of guilt in that, much like those who had originally stripped these workers of their humanity and dignity, I had only used them as tools to progress. Inside is a relatively short game and only requires about four hours to complete and see the standard ending, however there are additional collectibles that will likely take you a lot longer to hunt down, and these are key to an alternate (but equally ponderous) ending.
A moment’s reprieve
Nightmare fuel
…The developers have shown a deft hand in being able to play with light and shadow, and the underwater sections are nothing short of breathtaking. Make no mistake, this is art in motion…
I must go, my planet needs me
Let the bodies hit the roof
Final Thoughts
Inside is one of those rare and beautiful experiences that really needs to be played to be fully understood. For those willing to take the plunge, Playdead’s gorgeous and haunting world is sure to leave an indelible impression, and the game’s conclusion is something that will personally stick with me for a while. A perfect example of video games as art, this title couldn’t come more highly recommended.
Reviewed on Xbox One
