Inside (Xbox One) Review
Developer Playdead has previously only ever created one game before, the excellent and much-acclaimed 2D platformer Limbo. Their latest effort is Inside, a 2D platformer that sees a young boy travel through a dark and foreboding world with an emphasis on minimalist mechanics and creating a terrifying atmosphere. If that sounds familiar, it is because it is essentially the same premise of Limbo. So how does Inside distinguish itself from its predecessor and can it live up to some very weighty expectations?
While there are plenty of similarities between the two games, Inside immediately stands out as being different in two distinct ways. The first is that this isn’t the entirely monochrome experience that made up Limbo. There are more colors and shades here, though the designers haven’t exactly gone overboard with the art style, instead choosing to keep a rather minimalist look that complements the atmosphere perfectly.
The other is that rather than being trapped in a horror-inspired fantasy world filled with terrifying creatures, Inside pits the player in an equally mysterious dystopian environment. In one way the world is more fleshed out the one we get to see in Limbo but it is also much more enigmatic as the creators don’t attempt to introduce any sort of obvious story elements into the game. Obviously, there is some sort of overarching plot to the experience, yet it is left up to the player to come up with a conclusion of what exactly they are doing.
What works well about this is that it combines with the dystopian world that you inhabit to create and eerie feeling that perfectly captures what it would probably be like to live in such an environment in real life. There are a host of other characters that you interact with directly and indirectly, yet there is no dialogue or text to explain what is going on. The world-building occurs gradually through the locations and events that you come across while you progress. The bleakness can become overwhelming in parts, though you always feel as if you are progressing to some sort of explanation or answer.
Inside constantly touches on a wide range of themes. These range from the idea of a tyrannical government controlling its citizens, mind control, human experimentation, and the removal of free will. Most important of all though is the theme of death, something that haunts the player throughout the entire campaign. Any mistake can lead to the player being killed in an instant, meaning that the threat of death hangs over you at all times.
This is probably why Playdead have chosen to have the protagonist of both of their games as a child. It gives the player the ability to experience concepts and ideas in an open manner as if they have never experienced them before, allowing the events to unfold without a real attachment to the narrative. The fact that the title never really gives a definitive answer to what exactly is going on can be explained by the fact that the innocent child simply wouldn’t understand the complexities or authoritarian regime.
Apart from the oozing atmosphere and harrowing plot, the main meat of this game is the puzzles. This is another element that sets Inside apart from its competitors. Every obstacle feels like a natural impediment that needs to be overcome, rather than an artificial blockage simply created to prevent the player from progressing.
They take several different forms and can often require some time to think about what you have to do. However, once you have completed a puzzle the answer almost always seems perfectly obvious and elegant in its simplicity. Sometimes this might involve moving a box into a place that also you to reach a ledge or in other instances may involve getting safely past a pack of angry guard dogs. Whatever the case, each of these puzzles make sense in the context of the game and flow effortlessly into one and other.
What is even more impressive is that the different mechanics and ideas feel as if they have been honed by the developers. Solutions are clear and logical, meaning that you never feel frustrated or cheated as you tried to overcome the challenge presented to you. This concludes in the final section of the campaign in a breathless way that you would never have expected, something that will stay with you for a long time.
The only real complaints that you can have about Inside is that it isn’t very long and that it might leave some unsatisfied with its ending. It can be completed at a rather leisurely pace in just a few hours, yet it is a perfectly contained game that would probably be negatively affected by an attempt to stretch its playtime simply to make it last longer. Additionally, the fact that it remains a mystery even after the ending is what makes the title such an engrossing experience. Revealing the ins and outs of what exactly has been happening over the past few hours would take away the ability of the player to come up with their own thoughts or ideas.
Ultimately, Inside is the perfect evolution from Limbo. The six years of development that Playdead have taken to create this game and learn from their previous one have been spent well to produce a product that is about as good as it gets in terms of independent digital releases. While there have been many copycat platformers in the intervening years, none have managed to achieve what Inside does, making it an essential purchase.
This review is based on a retail version of the game that was provided by the publisher for review purposes. Inside is available on the Xbox One Store now for $19.99.