Every frame ofInside could be taken as a standalone art piece.
The player takes the role of a young boy as he navigates a disturbing world and uses its elements to solve puzzles. Polished and minimalist in both its art and gameplay,Insideis easy to understand and play but presents a series of scenarios to challenge the psyche and soul.
It's tough to discuss its themes without robbingInside of some of its suspenseful power (so stop reading now and find three hours to play through it),but in short,our hunted hero risks incredible dangers to infiltrate a facility housing horrific subversions of biology that defy description. Manipulating and surviving them will be key to making it deeper into the facility,and what you'll find there is virtually assured to shock and confront you.
Deaths are frequent,but never punishing,and serve to teach you what you should or should not be doing to progress. Some are so startling as to be entertaining – like when the boy is blown apart by an unexpected blast or snatched away by a retracting taser wire – while others linger on just enough to be genuinely unsettling,like when you just don't make it to the water's surface or get away from attack dogs in time.
Along the wayInside creates situations that are intellectually challenging and thematically very creepy,but that also provide satisfying and interesting mechanics for light puzzle-solving. Less easily solved are questions and challenges raised by the game's incredible journey,which will surely be the subject of discussions for years to come.
Insideis out now on Xbox One,releasing for PC on July 8.