INSIDE

INSIDE is a side-scrolling platformer about a little boy who, through some unknown means, ends up in a confined and unsettling space. He is unarmed, and this determines the entire balance of power. The controls here are minimal: the hero runs, jumps and grabs objects, and everything else is decided by the situation. This is why even simple scenes feel intense. Physics and gameplay require you to go through death, puzzles and dangerous traps to the last level. Watchdogs, guards and mechanisms await the boy, and decisions are most often related to the environment, and not to the fight. Death comes suddenly and almost always from someone else's will: dogs, spotlights and traps force you to learn moments. Mistakes are not punished, because saving is nearby. Some moments are made like long scenes without control, and in them the tension only grows. The atmosphere is conveyed without words: light, shadows and sounds tell a story better than any text. The further the hero goes, the stranger the places become, and the ending leaves room for thought. The ending changes the perception of the entire story, so it is often discussed separately from the rest of the plot. Additions were not released here, but other games from the studio were released in the same manner. Some episodes are structured like an escape, where rhythm and precision are most important. The game was made by a small team and received high marks for its production design and attention to detail. Secrets and an alternative ending are still discussed by players. For those who love dark stories without explanation, this road will be remembered for a long time.