Aaron Poole delves into the highly anticipated follow-up to LIMBO
FOLLOWING on from the massive reaction of their very successful indie title, LIMBO, developer Playdead Studios had a very difficult task ahead of them in following up with a title that could match the experience they had created in 2010. The uniquely minimalist game managed to generate a lot of interest in how it conveyed a highly tense atmosphere through a simplistic control scheme, sepia art style, and a lack of any music in favour of only sound effects and zero player direction. A bold and risky move for a puzzle/platformer, but one that paid off immensely in the long run.
Fast forward to 2016 and Playdead have capitalised on their risk by again venturing into a minimalist gaming world through their new title, INSIDE.
INSIDE is a spiritual successor to LIMBO. They share the same fundamental gameplay characteristics: the player-controlled character is a small mute boy, and the game’s central gameplay mechanics revolve around platforming and solving puzzles, both of which are contained in a side scrolling layout and displayed in a minimalist fashion.
While this might be a gripe to some, to complain about this adaptation is a misunderstanding of what the game hopes to create: Playdead have proved already that this is an effective means of storytelling, which is the key element in this mix of ingredients, and is why the minimalist setting works.
Right down to the single sentence description of the game, “hunted and alone, a boy finds himself drawn into the center of a dark project”, we are not given anything to work off bar a short premise, which not only intrigues the player, but also encourages exploration and keen observation throughout the game’s 3-4 hours (something that becomes a key factor when paired with the game’s incredible backgrounds).
In terms of gameplay, fans of LIMBO will not be displeased. Again, Playdead are extrapolating and applying the formula that made LIMBO so successful. The controls follow a basic scheme whereby the left thumbstick or d-pad control the boy, with the face buttons being designated as actions in the form of jumping, push/pull, climb etc.
In an added dimension that builds on LIMBO’s formula, the dynamic backgrounds play a much larger role in affecting gameplay and furthering on the story (as much as I’m tempted to tell how, it would be detrimental to your own playing experience). The puzzles are mind boggling at stages, leading to a timing issue which ultimately leads to your character’s death in a menagerie of gruesome ways. You’ll need your thinking cap on.
INSIDE isn’t so much a game as it is an experience. The ending is one that will leave you thinking for hours after play, and the journey in getting there will be as rewarding as you make it. A must have for fans of great storytelling.
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