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INSIDE(PC)

Developer: Playdead
Engine: Unity
Publisher: Playdead
Released in June 2016
Awards: British Academy Games Award for Game Design, more
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Genres: Platform game, Adventure game

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Synopsis (Wikipedia)

Inside (stylized as INSIDE) is a puzzle-platformer adventure video game developed and published by Playdead and first released in June 2016. In the game, the player controls a young boy in a dystopic world, solving environmental puzzles while avoiding death in a 2.5D sidescrolling fashion, thematically and visually following up on the 2010 monochromatic video game Limbo.

Playdead started working on Inside shortly after the release of Limbo. Initially, the company started with the same custom game engine they used for Limbo, but later switched to Unity to simplify development. They developed rendering routines to give the game a signature look and which they later released as open source. The game was partially funded by a grant from the Danish Film Institute.

Inside premiered at Microsoft's E3 2014 conference, with a planned release in 2015. The game was released for Xbox One on 29 June 2016, Microsoft Windows on 7 July, and for the PlayStation 4 on 23 August. The game received critical acclaim upon release, with some critics and reviewers calling it a worthy successor to Limbo.

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Plot

The plot of Inside is largely implied, it begins in the same manner as Playdead's previous game Limbo with a lone child in a dark, unwelcoming world. I feel confident in saying that I understand the plot to this game but giving my interpretation of it would rob you of your opportunity to find your own interpretation by playing it, which is something I recommend you all do.

There is no dialogue, no expository cutscenes, no voice-overs. It is up to the player to interpret their own plot from their experience. There are many dark themes in this game along with a gradual curve of disturbing empowerment that leads to a fittingly disturbing ending.

We begin in the woods where, we assume, the boy protagonist is on the run. Dark-clothed men are out to get you for some unknown, presumably sinister purpose and so the beginning is spent evading capture and dodging attack dogs. As you progress you begin uncovering more about the sinister society that seems to be prevailing in this dark world. Nothing is explicit though, exactly what is going on or why is never explained and it certainly isn't obvious or presented as if there is a single correct answer to any of the questions it makes you ask.

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GamePlay

Much like its predecessor this game has the player learn the solution to puzzles through the death of the character. Dying in this game is not a punishment in the traditional sense of lost progress and wasted time as you run from your last checkpoint back to the last obstacle to take your life. In Inside, dying will cause a checkpoint to load, but it is generally no more than five seconds away and as a player you will have gained a better understanding of the puzzle which will allow you to progress.
A large part of the game is the solving of puzzles, from traditional block moving puzzles to thematically disturbing mind-control style puzzles there are a many different ways a player is required to think. Where most games would have you learn a game mechanic so it can litter the rest of the game with the same puzzle Playdead show restraint with Inside they frequently present a unique challenge and never repeat it; such as the memorable puzzle towards the beginning of the game which requires you to follow a crowd through a series of specific interactions. The gameplay sequence was particularly powerful and made more memorable in my opinion by the virtue of it being used only once.

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Controls

Simply enough, this game allows you to move, jump, grab things and look up and down. The limited controls are actually a blessing. If and when you find yourself stuck it is common to try interacting with anything and everything using each of the controls just listed, a habit that becomes particularly important during the game's climactic ending sequence.

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Graphics

This is where I need to give the game the most praise. Every single frame could be taken out of this experience and stand alone as a beautiful still image, like a painting. The strong, consistently gloomy visual style really helps the game stand out from others in the genre.

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System Requirments (PC)

OS: Windows 7/8/10 (64-bit OS required)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 2.4 GHz, AMD FX 8120 @ 3.1 GHz.
Memory: 4 GB RAM.
Graphics: NVIDIA GT 630 / 650m, AMD Radeon HD6570 or equivalent.
DirectX: Version 9.0c.
Storage: 3 GB available space.
Sound Card: 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card.

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Overall:

Game-play: 9/10
Plot: 10/10
Graphics: 10/10
Controls: 10/10
Overall: 10/10