Inside PC review - Move aside Limbo, Inside is here!

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It´s been over six years since Playdead released their puzzle-platformer/adventure indie smash-hit “Limbo”. And six years is a very long time in the world of games. So I was most likely not the only one that was worried that “Limbo” was just a “one-hit wonder” kind of game. Well, I´m sure glad that I was incorrect. As Playdead proved me (and everyone else) wrong with their spiritual successor “Inside” (which got released on the 7th of July for Xbox One and Windows).

Throughout the whole game, you´re on the run from people and “things” that are out to get you. And that fact actually made me think about Guns N’ Roses song “Out Ta Get Me” (that song would fit like a glove for sure, since that´s what it´s like to play “Inside”).

And right of the bat, you get tossed straight into action as soon as you boot-up “Inside”. In the matter of fact, you get no plot or background briefings at all. No, instead you jump straight into the shoes of a little boy who’s trying to run away from a world that´s much too dark for his liking. And the “dark” part sure isn’t any exaggeration on my behalf, because the world of “Inside” is very dark, grey and apocalyptic-like (think “The Walking Dead”, when Rick wakes up in the hospital and starts to realize that the shit has hit the fan big time). And it doesn´t take long before the hard reality of “Inside” catches up with you either (yes, death lures all over the place), as everything and everyone is out to get you.

I´m probably not the only person who thought about MGS “sneek and hide” moments while playing “Inside”.

Luckily enough for you (and me) though, the controls are almost flawless in “Inside”. And since the little boy is stronger than the most of us and runs like Maradona on cocaine, you have all the tools that you need in-order to stay alive. Well, at least if you have fast reflexes and think and act quickly. Don´t get too cocky though, because one single mistake will send you to the “other” side (aka the realm of death). And trust me when I say this, there are plenty of moments in “Inside” where you can die. So be sure to think and act fast if you want to stay alive (I got killed twice by a zombie pig, for example).

When I reached this area I made a joke about the pigs from “The Walking Dead”. I shouldn´t have done that, since I got attacked by a zombie pig shortly after that I cracked my TWD joke.

And just like in the case with Playdead´s “Limbo”, there are quite a few puzzle-solving moments to be found in the world of “Inside” as well. And in my opinion, Playdead has found the perfect balance between “not too easy“, “not too hard“, and “not too boring” puzzles. You see. Playdead has created the puzzles in such a way that any common person will understand right away what he or she needs to do in-order to solve the puzzle. However, to “solve” the actual puzzle in question. That´s a totally different question, but most of the puzzles can actually be solved by pure logics. So “Inside” isn´t the kind of game that will leave you scratching your head for hours over a puzzle or problem which needs to be solved.

You can´t have a Playdead game without puzzles. So naturally, just like in the case with “Limbo”. Inside offers quite a few puzzle-solving moments.

And good thing that, since it would ruin the flow of “Inside”. However, there is a down side to that flow. And that would be the fact that “Inside” is a rather short game (you could finish off the game in 1.5-3 hours), and while on the topic of cons and downsides. I don´t know if it´s just me, but there is no music in my PC-version of “Inside” (that seems to be the case for everyone else as well). And I find that to be rather sad, since a really good soundtrack could have added even more emotions and feelings to “Inside”. Nevertheless, all in all, Playdead has created yet another awesome puzzle-platformer/adventure game in the shape of “Inside”.

So if you enjoyed “Limbo”, then you´re going to love “Inside” for sure!

Pros:
+ Very nice graphics
+ Awesome environments
+ Entertaining gameplay and puzzle moments
+ Limbo + Prince of Persia + “Another World” = Inside
+ Very simple controls

Cons:
– Sometimes you’re not quite sure what you should do
– No music?
– Inside is a rather short game

Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound/Music: 2/5
Controls: 4/5
Replay value: 3/5

tgg grade 4 out of 5

Verdict: 4/5
It´s been six long years since Playdead released their indie smash-hit “Limbo”. And now (six years later) Playdead has once again been able to create Gaming magic with their puzzle-platformer/adventure “Inside”. So, yeah. In my opinion, “Inside” is most definitely a worthy spiritual successor to “Limbo”.

Title: Inside
Developer: Playdead Games
Format: PC
Genre: Adventure/puzzle/platformer
Resolution: Max on PC
Release date: 2016-07-06
Difficulty: Normal
Spent time: +4 hours
Average grade internationally: 84.54% Gamerankings.com
PEGI/ESRB age rating: PEGI 12+
Price: 19.99 USD via Steam