Inside

In 100 years time I believe people will regard video games and movies on the same level as art and literature; this would place Inside as a true masterpiece in art. The games audio, the visuals, the vague and yet powerful storytelling, it's all perfect. Sidescrollers might bore a lot of people but I ask any of these people to give this game a try because it will blow you away.

Played Limbo? No? Go play it now. Then play this. They are awfully similar, and not just because both are made by some danish guys. This game, the "storyline" in it if one can call it that + the atmosphere... is just pure insanity. I have no idea what it's like inside the head of someone who is both artistically gifted and absolutely insane but here one can really get... "inside" it. From start to finish it is thoroughly enjoyable, the scenery changes all the time, the puzzles get ever harder, it never really gets boring and the ending is perhaps the most peculiar thing I ever saw. And just like in limbo - never was something so depressing and so dark so much fun! Just like there are movies with story lines and acting so good that the viewer is mentally raped and feels almost some kind of bruising in the gray matter after the credits start rolling the same exact thing is delivered by this game. Or to put it differently - when art is made as MGM's Latin slogan says - "art for art's sake", it really shows. It really shows that the maker puts his/her soul into the work, and the product becomes more important than turning a buck off it. So much so that it shines like a diamond in the big ocean of boring stuff made by people who are not artists at all. This game is one of those diamonds, no doubt about it.

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.

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.

Playdead was already known for having developed the wonderful game Limbo (2010). And this developer is even more efficient after the creation of Inside (2016).

This game is very mysterious and with an immersion that makes you want to understand what is happening in that world. To complement this immersion we have a very well done sound work that makes the experience even more captivating and an even greater desire to play the game. The setting is another very strong point and serves as a support for puzzles that are very creative and different. The way the game builds a certain terror in certain moments of the game without needing to jump scare is a very important detail to be analyzed.

Inside, like other indie games, comes with a simple idea and manages to apply all the ideas in a very charming way, along with a secret ending that shows us how good ideas make great games.