Inside

I used to have a mind, but then I played this game. That's how mind-blowing this game is.

INSIDE. (2016) Set in a dark apocalyptic, near-future world, the story itself is very hazy and vague, leaving room for various interpretation. At times it's very H. G. Wells's: War of the World and at others, Orwell's: 1984. You play a young boy, as he doggedly and determinedly makes his way deeper into the mysterious world, seemingly towards danger itself.

The side-scrolling puzzle platformer game is very artistically minimal, subtly stylistic and yet very visually macabre in the details that in does present to you. All very intentionally dark and vague. Similar to Limbo, although having a bit more color. Inside offers tantalizing hints at a dark futuristic world, altered landscapes, filled with powerful organizations, shadowy masked villains, mind-control technology, mysterious creatures (possibly the result/victims of mad science) and a disturbing parasitic invasion (either man-made or alien in nature).

Developed and published by Playdead. This Indie game is a true masterpiece, as was Limbo, and I can't wait to see more from Playdead. Either way, it was very good. Eerie, subtle, creepy, and highly imaginative. It made me really want answers. I highly recommend this dark little gem to puzzle fans. Not for the faint of heart.

STORY: 7/10 GAMEPLAY: 9/10 GRAPHICS: 9/10 ART DESIGN: 9/10 MUSIC/SOUND: 7/10 OVERALL RATING: 8.5.

There's nothing in this game that's even remotely similar to the big £50 blockbusters that get pumped out every year. Every step you take you can feel the quality and care, from the echoes in the distance to the stunning visuals that make the games uniquely dark and dystopian atmosphere. No one speaks, no one helps, no one understands; but they don't need to. If you ever have spare time, play through this, maybe even twice, three times even. Uncover the secrets hidden in every hole and realise that not everything is as it seems. Most of all, never feel like your on your own, cause you may not be... most of the time.

When it comes to indie games, there is always a lack of something. May it be the story or the gameplay... But this game honestly pretty much nailed most or all aspects. The visuals in this game are astonishing. The fact that its always kind of creepy and dark can drive a person mad. But most specifically with me, it felt like clostrophobic. The gameplay featured in this game is ok, but not especially good compared to what some other games manage. What drives the game and makes it good though is its story. Its very poetic in every sense of the term. Even though its a very short game to complete, I feel this is a very good story. So honeslty I think most single player gamers should try this, especially considering that its supposed to take like 3h to complete it.

Despite the many rave reviews for this title I went in not expecting much. However, this game impressed me in many ways. In terms of technical aspects alone, the art design and animations of this game are incredible and immerse you for Inside's short but sweet 3-4 hour completion time. Some have criticized Inside for having shallow gameplay. This is partially true, but for me the consistently fantastic environmental storytelling, atmosphere, and presentation kept me interested and in awe until the end of the game. The story of Inside is also not explained to the player; you will have to figure it out mostly on your own. That said, the story of this game is very satisfying to discover and I did not find it boring. The lack of much information given in regards to the world has inspired many theories, some of which are very compelling. If this seems like your type of game, I would encourage you to play it.