Inside is a puzzle-platformer developed by Playdead, presented in a 2.5D side-scrolling format with a dark, predominantly monochromatic visual style. The player controls an unnamed boy navigating a dystopian environment, solving environmental puzzles, avoiding hostile guards and creatures, and using a mind-control device to manipulate bodies in order to progress. The game features no dialogue or HUD, relying on visual and audio cues to guide the player through its increasingly surreal and dangerous settings.
About the story
In a hostile, dystopian world, a young boy flees through a forest pursued by masked guards with flashlights, vehicles, and attack dogs. Escaping the patrols, he crosses into farmland overrun by parasitic worms and rampaging animals, then reaches a seemingly abandoned city where lines of zombie-like people are moved through mind control. Using a mind-control helmet, the boy manipulates these drone-like figures to press deeper into a vast underground facility of flooded chambers and laboratories, where scientists conduct disturbing underwater experiments on human bodies. An underwater creature attaches a device to the boy, allowing him to breathe beneath the surface as he pushes further into the complex, drawn toward something at its center.
Platforms
iOS Mac Switch PC PS4 XONEGenres
Adventure Indie Platform PuzzleThemes
Action Drama Horror Science fiction Stealth
Languages: English and 13 more
| Interface | Audio | Subtitles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | |||
| French | |||
| Italian | |||
| German | |||
| Spanish (Spain) | |||
| Japanese | |||
| Korean | |||
| Polish | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal) | |||
| Portuguese (Brazil) | |||
| Russian | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | |||
| Chinese (Simplified) | |||
| Turkish |
Media
Critic Reviews
XboxEra
By Jon ClarkeI won’t delve too much into the story, but I will say that the ending – an it most certainly has an ending, is something that you and your friends may come to talk about, theorise about, and discuss for many weeks to come.
Gaming Nexus
By Sean ColleliLike Limbo, Inside is short, mechanically addictive and emotionally haunting. It's the perfect addition to the Switch's growing library of now-portable indie hits.
Fintendo
By Ville Polvela"Visually stunning, forces you to think about things outside the game."
GameMAG
By ACEINSIDE creators excellently adapted the game for a Nintendo Switch system, and final result is not inferior to the original version in portable or docked modes. If you have not yet played this masterpiece on the other systems, then make sure you catch up on any platform. But even if you've finished the game, it's worth it to try it again.
Nintendo Insider
By Jamie WardIf you loved Limbo then do not hesitate, just grab your Switch and buy Inside. For such a simple game, it is remarkable how much variation there is. Puzzles are expertly thought-out, the atmosphere is top-notch and its crammed full of memorable moments. It’s a stunning but desolate adventure that I urge you to try out. Even though it’s a short experience, it makes you consider what you have just gone through long after completion. It is one of the standout games in the Switch’s ever-growing library.
