I recently played one of the best video games I have ever encountered, Playdead’s Inside.
Personally, I play only a modest number of games, and in fairness, they’re mostly pretty simple. What can I say? Minecraft is a classic. Stardew Valley is calming. Breath of the Wild is, well, breathtaking. I have limited capabilities when it comes to playing games – that is to say, I have a Nintendo Switch, and whatever I can put onto that device.
I’ve been looking for something new for some time. I’ve played Portal and its sequel, and Breath of the Wild more than once. And, not eager to spend $60 on a new major game, I started searching through deals. And then I saw it: The cover for Inside.
Visuals
The cover is a desolate image, with a single subject, a boy who is pressed against the window and gazing off into the distance. Red clothes and pale, illuminated features contrast the bleak, cavernous world. At times the camera pans closer to the character, but for the most part, you are but one single moving aspect in a world that is horrifying and alive.
This game is best played in the dark, surrounded by good speakers. With moody and monochrome visuals, it doesn’t take long before you realize this is so much more than just a video game. This is an experience.
Gameplay
The best way I can describe the tone and themes of this game would be to compare it to George Orwell’s 1984, a world filled with individuals without free will and more who oversee and benefit from their subordinate’s struggles. Unlike 1984, however, you have no narrator. No rationalization of the goings-on in this world. When you, the viewer, have questions, there is no Winston to offer answers.
Instead, you are left with your own thoughts. While there is a soundtrack to underscore your wanderings, it is mostly quiet ambience. The ambience in many games and movies is forgettable, but In Inside, it is a memorable part of the experience and it emphasizes the loneliness of the whole game.
And the game only produces more questions. Why are you alone? Where are you going? Why do you, a young boy, have such drive to continue, despite the very real threats you face along the way? And the moment you finish, staring at the final image as the camera pans away, you are begged to wonder, what is the meaning of it all?
Despite creating more questions than it answers, the game still manages to be hugely satisfying. You may find yourself staring at the screen in silent awe, wondering what you just experienced. But whether you put the controller down and never pick it up again, or, like me, revisit the game immediately, Inside will occupy a part of your mind. The story you experience in the game is truly haunting.
Award-winning game
Inside was released in 2016 and brought in critical acclaim, including winning the Game Critics Awards 2016 award for Best Independent Game. Inside is far from unknown, but if you’re late to the party like me, and have yet to play this incredible game, then I absolutely recommend it.