Inside Reviews
INSIDE is still the same excellent game from 2016, now released on the Switch for convenience, portability, and the potential to reach a whole new audience. It is a must-play experience that feels right at home on Switch.
However, for those in a situation like myself who missed its initial launch and are playing indie catch-up, Inside is the type of short but gratifying experience that the Switch is perfect for delivering.
Inside is a technical marvel, and a game seemingly pieced together from the shared dreams of Franz Kafka and George Orwell. It’s a rare game that transcends a genre, and for a game where not a single word is spoken, Inside has plenty on its mind.
There are very few games that will provoke as much thought after you walk away from the adventure. I genuinely found myself asking “What did I just experience?” as the credits rolled. Graphically the game is gorgeous and the controls snappy and intuitive. Inside is a triumph of both storytelling and game design, what it sets out to achieve as a video game it most certainly achieves. My only criticism would be that after completing the game there is no real reason to go back (unless you didn’t get all the Achievements/Trophies) and this is only a negative because I enjoyed the game so much.
Inside is a tour de force of emotion and enjoyment, flawlessly serving up a game that will seduce you into its dark, malevolent world. Games of this caliber are rare indeed.
Do yourself the favor and buy Inside and play it for yourself. As far as indy titles goes it's a masterpiece. It's on the same plateau as Journey for me in that regard. Both games are absolutely phenomenal and both will stick in your head. The only difference is at the end of Journey you'll feel pretty good about the adventure you took and have a good idea about what it all meant. You don't get that with Inside. Instead I have been scratching my head ever since and to this day I still can't piece it all together. All I know is it is one of the most memorable games I've played in the last few years.
The first thing that strikes you about 2D puzzle platformer INSIDE is its visuals. The eerie dystopian environment and muted colour pallet is unsettling, and immediately haunting. Utilising minimalist white, grey and black tones, INSIDE somehow manages to be both melancholic and powerfully alluring – it’s impossible to look away.
In the end, I’ve no doubt INSIDE will end up being one of the most memorable experiences I’ve played this year. Its puzzles are expertly designed, its presentation staggeringly beautiful. Personally, I’m not sure its four hours of content are worth the $20 asking price, especially for an ending that leaves you with more questions than answers.
Inside manages to present an entire world, to evoke an entire universe, even without the use of any word, simply by concretizing the space around the protagonist.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A fantastic indie-exclusive that all fans of the developer, Limbo, and Xbox will enjoy. Inside is a short but compact fun-filled experience that never wastes your time. You will either love or loathe Insides ending, but the journey offers great value for a $20 dollar bill and provides an experience that will still be debatable among friends for the rest of 2016.
Inside is the 2016 indie GOTY front-runner, with the simplicity of its inviting controls, satisfying game flow, and enthralling yet ambiguous story that will have fans theorycrafting like they once did with Limbo.
"Inside is a hauntingly oppressive 2D platforming masterpiece with a gorgeous artistic approach, incorporating moments of stealth, frantic chases with creative but not overly complex puzzles".
Inside is a really interesting, beautiful, gloomy, atmospheric game. It certainly gets our recommendation, as one of the rare high-quality logical platforms that you will surely enjoy in almost every aspect.
Inside is the kind of game that hooks you within the first minutes with a ‘Show Don’t Tell’ style of storytelling.
Inside encapsulates everything right within the independent game genre, exuding a masterclass in game design with stellar animation and a muted colour palette that fit its macabre interior perfectly. Though some may be put off by its obtuseness, Inside is a unique title all gamers should eventually at least attempt to experience.
Please, do yourself a favor and buy Inside right now before you get spoiled. From the beginning Inside is an unforgettable experience that every gamer has to play. What makes it even more unforgettable are the last gameplay moments, I’m still shocked about it. Developer Playdead has done impossible work, I’m still baffled that only 25 people can make a game like Inside, it’s simply mind-blowingly good.
"To me, this game is a modern classic that truly showcases what a developer can achieve when they try to bring every aspect of a game together to form a cohesive piece of art. I would recommend it to fans of Limbo, Abzu and any Oddworld-type platformer. I am acutely aware, however, that this opinion will not be shared by everyone who plays"
A must have for any gamer looking for something special
When it's not sending you into cardiac arrest, it's bending your mind with plot twists and challenging your reflexes and brain power with a series of platforming and puzzling challenges. In the end, lightning strikes twice for Playdead. Six years was worth the wait.