INSIDE: A MINIMALISTIC WORK OF ART
Inside is the long awaited follow up to Playdead's previous game, Limbo, which happened to be one of the best indie games ever made. So it was always going to be hard for this small studio to reach the same heights they did with Limbo, right? Wrong. Not only did Playdead outdo themselves with this title, they far exceeded expectations and delivered an absolute masterpiece.
Much like its predecessor Limbo, Inside is a 2D physics based puzzle platformer game. It is a game that can requires no vocal narration for describing its events. You are put in the shoes of an unnamed boy who is wearing a red colored shirt, a character you will grow attached to despite him not uttering a word in the span of the 3-4 hours of gameplay time. Right from the get go, you notice how strikingly beautiful the game is. You knock over a refrigerator in the forest and you see rustled leaves flying up. The eye for detail is simply striking as the polish on every aspect of this game is absolutely impeccable.
Being a puzzle platformer, the game had to get its physics mechanics right and it does. Puzzles are never too hard to figure out and you will know what to do after a few tries; whereas in Limbo even if you knew what had to be done, you couldn't put your finger on how you could do it. So that's a massive improvement over its predecessor; massive props to Playdead for sorting that out. The puzzles are also mixed and matched enough that they never get repetitive, and are always intuitive and fun to figure out.
Now comes the artwork and Inside showcases some of the most beautiful art I have ever seen in a video game. In terms of aesthetics, the game is masterpiece. It's astonishing what some people can do with just a few colors used throughout the entirety of the game. The game is grey and dark for most parts but whenever color is used, it is used to great effect. The environment is richly detailed and the texture effect is astounding. As you jump over obstacles you trip and regain your balance, rain effects are lifelike and the world in cohesion with the atmosphere it sets truly makes for a memorable experience.
Sound tracks are used sparingly in the game but when they are used, it elevates the atmosphere to great heights. Every environment has a different personality to it. No two areas will ever feel the same and you truly feel a sense of joy when you travel through this magnificent post apocalyptic world.
Playdead takes a minimalistic approach to Inside. Although the ending is up for debate, the rest of the game is polished to a brilliant sheen and makes it a truly artistic masterpiece.
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