In music, a band that debuts big then needs to face a phase known as the 'difficult second album syndrome' or perhaps the sophomore slump. Playdead could have outdone themselves on a first go with the incredible LIMBO, it would be risky adding even just one extra layer of colour and perspective depth.
Thankfully it paid off and INSIDE excels with excellent sense of pacing and visual control of narrative. Set in a dystopia not far from that of its predecessor, you play another sneaky boy who attempts to infiltrate a frighteningly fascistic testing facility. The sense of dread is better established very early on as you traverse a forest where you hide from 'officers' in trucks carrying dozens of people. It is almost impossible not shake the many associations with historical human atrocities such as the Holocaust. The imagery and even the gameplay (not to spoil anything) follows a consistent theme of having power and control over others; a government manipulating hordes of the public in a chilling unison. Of course, this is just a sci fi concept in a world far from ours, right?

Timing is everything. Death here is filtered through as machinery; a natural cog to industrial malevolence. The absence of free will in a dilapidated landscape drives Inside's core mechanics. Like Journey, this game functions best as an immersive and mostly risk-free experience but this one is all the better for that simplicity. Its puzzles are straightforward but the biggest draw for me is just how focused this is on delivering an uncompromisingly stark vision, employing brilliantly ghastly sound work and visceral imagery. I was shocked by how many of these puzzles I instinctively recalled from my last playthrough years ago and that's a credit to just how well the game drives itself into your mind. There's much here that hits you in the gut, and there's no particular logistical reason as to why. It just does. Bodies and spaces, I guess. Yada yada yada.

(Escrita em 2017)

INSIDE é um jogo diferente de outros que já joguei. Acostumado a não jogar estes ditos jogos “cinemáticos” que apresentam uma pequenina narrativa linear, entrei em INSIDE porque me interessei pelos seus visuais. Não desapontou. A narrativa misteriosa e deliciosamente simbólica do jogo te mantém atento pela sua curta duração. A gameplay é surpreendentemente cativante, fortalecida por controles intuitivos e animações fantásticas, transferindo ao jogador uma verdadeiro sensação de controle do garoto.

O jogo é composto de alguns puzzles que não são desafiantes o suficiente para irritar o usuário, mas interativos o suficiente para fazê-lo sentir como se tivesse resolvido algo; salpicada com louvor também estão a presença de set pieces memoráveis, que muitas vezes misturam leves elementos de puzzles e tensão, que de novo são ajudadas pelas animações muito bem feitas, dando verdadeiro peso à tentativa, falha e sucesso do jogador. Percorrer nesta jornada para dentro de sabe se lá o quê é uma experiência que ficará em minha mente por muito tempo, graças à sua vasta gama de momentos célebres e a sua direção de arte impecável.

Inside is a must play for platformer puzzle lovers. It’s simplistic in gameplay (only five keys to remember, left, up, down, right and grab) rich in atmosphere and curious in story. Parallels to Limbo can be made (which is also excellent) but I absolutely LOVE this kind of story telling with zero dialog and everything from the story can be extracted from the character’s actions, the environment and puzzles needed to be solved to advance to the next area. The music sets the tone when needed, in low infrequent areas, and the sound effects is top notch. Again, this is a MUST PLAY.

From the offset Inside manages to establish an incredibly dark tone that it carries throughout. You are a boy trying to survive in a bleak world that’s completely unknown to you. Playdead manages to convey so much atmosphere and mystery in the design of this hauntingly beautiful environment as progression gradually unveils more layers to this incredibly twisted world that seems to draw parallels with our own humanity. The story of Inside leaves much open to interpretation and although some might not like so many unanswered questions, I appreciate the developers letting you put together your own picture of what’s going on. There are a myriad of clever puzzles and platforming section throughout, with only a few not quite hitting the mark. The boy you control feels very grounded, with impeccable animations and sound effects really immersing you into his character. Inside is a chilling, unforgettable experience that will leave you thinking about it long after its conclusion.