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INSIDE |OT| Limbo's Big Brother is Watching You

Well, put me down as one of those who considers this a modern masterpiece. I honestly wouldn't change a thing. To me it was as close to perfect as it gets. Haunting, provocative, surprising, as well as being a visual, aural, and technical marvel. Loved it.
 
Ok, I just bought this game on the PlayStation Network earlier this week and I just want to chime in and say that this game is marvelous and deserves all the accolades and good review it received from critics and players alike.

For reference, I didn't enjoy Limbo as much as other gamers did, but this game just hooked me from the beginning and doesn't let go. The puzzles may be simple, but the art, atmosphere, and imagery of everything happening on screen just draws you in.

If you're on the fence, buy the game if you want an experience unlike any other game this year.
 

TheKeyPit

Banned
really? for me, it 1) totally came out of left field, & 2) completely destroyed the previous 2.5 hours of tension, dread, & unsettling atmosphere...

seriously: i suddenly felt like i was playing a completely different game. & one that i didn't especially like...

That change is what makes this so memorable for me.
 

Kevtones

Member
The ending stanza is super left-field and didn't create the 'a-ha' unity for the game's narrative upon first view. Still, it's a jolt as fuck and an interesting experience. I think Round 3 at Playdead will be where they hit their stride. They need a storyteller.



+ Audio
+ Controls
+ Design
+ Evocative
+ The brutality. For me, and maybe it's just me, but I wanted to see how I died in new ways. Not from a sadistic standpoint but to understand what the developers were going for and to see the lengths at which they'd go. Between the shockwaves and the dogs I was pretty uncomfortable in a way that means they accomplished their goals.
+ The graphical style. The faceless boy. Visually this game nails it.
+ Feels like a critique of gaming/gamers on the surface.
You beat a game, BURST through to the ending and you're still just a rock, sitting on a couch playing videogames.




+/- Not all that fun. But should it be?

- There were times where I wanted another mechanic. Even just a registry with the boy. Some kind of 'hug button' ala Boy and his Blob to check the mood of the boy. He's faceless after all but something along this track.
- I felt disconnected from the world. I know that's part of the point but it felt like I was about to leave this world without ever knowing it. When I play a game I don't like feeling like this.
 

Kerned

Banned
What would have made it...fun?

I think, considering the tone and such, it being "fun" clashes with the world and atmosphere. It's engaging and compelling. It doesn't have to be fun

By "fun" I just mean "enjoyable to play," which I didn't think it was. I loved the tone and atmosphere, and I thought it was one of the nicest looking side scrollers I've ever seen. I found getting through it a slog, and I had to force myself to launch it instead of another game.

I don't think a dark, moody, or creepy tone excuses a game from being mechanically enjoyable, and I didn't enjoy the moment-to-moment at all. I thought most of the puzzles were either too simplistic or quickly became tedious, and I played the latter half of the game with a walkthrough open because I became so annoyed with having to engage with the "game" parts of the game. That's incredibly out of character for me, I'm just not a walkthrough guy.

I think I would have liked it better had it either went full walking simulator and focused more on telling a story, or if the gameplay had been something I connected with more. For me, it fell flat on both counts. I can understand why this game would resonate with some people, and I would never characterize it as a bad game, but it certainly wasn't a game I enjoyed my time with.

Some things just aren't for me, this is one of them.
 

Salty Hippo

Member
Playdead commits a flaw that it didn't consider the type of controller in mind. The NES controller had only 2 buttons which was taken advantage of by introducing level design to force the player into investigating other buttons that interact with the game accordingly. This doesn't apply to our standard modern gamepads which is why you can confuse difficulty spikes as "bugs". As I have finished the game in one sitting, there are moments where I keep pressing all buttons at some puzzles because of this design. I hope more developers look into this as case study as they seem to neglect "controls" which is very ironic given the theme of the game and it's intricate nuances.

I really have no idea what you're complaining about there. The controls are extremely intuitive, you basically just point stuff in the right direction and it happens. Game doesn't even have a tutorial, because it doesn't need one.
 

Tak3n

Banned
I see the steam forums feel the company should of spent the denuvo money on more content...

for once I am inclined to agree
 
I wonder if there are any plans for a physical release? Limbo never got that, right?

Limbo did get a physical release on PC with a special edition and on 360 in a 3 pack bundle.

Limbo-SpecialEdition.jpg

xblatriplepackretail.jpg
 

Justinh

Member
I actually beat this a little more than a week ago, just wanted to stop by and say that (like I'm guessing most others) absolutely loved the game.

It took me a while to complete actually. I kept having to take breaks because sometimes the game felt like it was just wearing me down (I mean that in a good way), but I was always excited to come back to it and see where it would take me next.
 
Having been such a fan of Limbo, and somehow finding out about this game barely on the same day it was released on PS4, I immediately purhcased it, and beat the game in one day, with my good friend Mary Jane.

While Limbo had incredible atmosphere and just an overall eerie vibe, this game was absolutely driven by its narrative. You are constantly in new situations, and have to think on your feet. What the game does right is not relying on overusing a puzzle mechanic. Having gone into the game blind, the first "mind control" puzzle made me think the game was going to be filled with it, but there were only a few, each one-upping the previous.

The 1984/Animal Farm vibes in the beginning were great, but all of the imagery of lab experimentation made the game and the deaths of your player more brutal. I fully expected a reveal at the end that someone was mind controlling the player with one of those caps, but got more than I was expecting with a dark version of "A boy and his blob".

Inside isn't perfect, some of the puzzles were a bit uninspired and at times ruined the flow of the kid escaping (at least in the first act). Also, the third act personally I loved, but at the same time it did somewhat undo the tension of the first 2 hours. Limbo left a bigger impression on me, even though it fell apart in the second half, but this game is definitely better if only because of how much content it has story-wise.
 

vatstep

This poster pulses with an appeal so broad the typical restraints of our societies fall by the wayside.
Incredible game. I beat it in one sitting because I couldn't stop playing, which is a rarity for me.

The only minor gripe I have is that I felt the last part (
when you're the fleshy-limb-ball
) went on maybe five minutes too long. Other than that, it's nearly a perfect game in my mind.
 

Vexidus

Member
I fully expected a reveal at the end that someone was mind controlling the player with one of those caps, but got more than I was expecting with a dark version of "A boy and his Blob"

I'm guessing you didn't 100% the game and see the second ending. You might want to look that up or get it and see for yourself.
 
I'm guessing you didn't 100% the game and see the second ending. You might want to look that up or get it and see for yourself.

Actually having played Limbo, I figured there was more to it. I'm in the process of finding the orbs myself without a guide (old school, I know.)

Just need to find the second one and the last few.
 
Wow, this game belongs into an Art Museum or something, just like that one Review Quote said.

I love limbo but this is on a whole New Level.
wish the ending screen turned out a little different but everything until that point... Like a strange, but somehow beautiful nightmare.

THANK YOU so much PLAYDEAD.
 
On my second play-through clearing up my trophies (not looking online, the trophy descriptions are fun clues!) And I love every last bit of it...

Lot of water, though.
 
So, since my Deus Ex game is bugged to all hell, I decided the time was right to finally play this game. And all I can do is echo the sentiments of how brilliant this game is. I'll also echo the disbelief of the ending sequence. I finished the game in two three or so hour sittings. Puzzle difficulty was perfect. Nearly every one had me scratch my head for just a few moments before I figured it out. Incredible atmosphere... graphics and music/sound were delicious. I really love the dreamlike vibe that Playdead's games elicit. This is definitely a strong candidate for GOTY. Let's just hope we don't have to wait another six years for their next game...
 

Kssio_Aug

Member
Started playing it yesterday! Until now it has been awesome!!

Very creepy though! I just passed through a water section where
there was a ghostly girl
, and now I don't want to go back to water! T-T
 

marmoka

Banned
I already finished the game, with the bad ending. I loved it, all those puzzles, and the creepy atmosphere.

But I didn't understand what the hell happened. Time to start looking for theories around internet.
 

Draper

Member
Christ...what a fucking game.

The art..the sound...the atmosphere...the animations!

I'm blown away guys, really.

I want artwork of all their designs.

So, is it worth getting all the trophies for the alternate ending, or should I just youtube it?
 

U2NUMB

Member
Fuck me ... that ending.. no idea why I did not finish this a month ago. Anyone who enjoys games needs to play this. That ending... mother of fuck.. what did I just play. Anyone who is not at the end... get to it.

Game of the year material for me hands down.
 
Just beat the game myself.

W...T...F...

I love it!


Fuck me ... that ending.. no idea why I did not finish this a month ago. Anyone who enjoys games needs to play this. That ending... mother of fuck.. what did I just play. Anyone who is not at the end... get to it.

Game of the year material for me hands down.


And there's alternate ending.. time to find those orbs!
 

G.O.O.

Member
So I finished it but I'm very dissatisfied with the ending(s)

I usually enjoy minimalistic narration but I feel it leaves too many things unexplained in that case. I'm not even sure about what themes it's trying to explore. Dictatorships, loss of free will ?

Still enjoyed the experience for the visuals and the atmosphere though
 
So I finished it but I'm very dissatisfied with the ending(s)

I usually enjoy minimalistic narration but I feel it leaves too many things unexplained in that case. I'm not even sure about what themes it's trying to explore. Dictatorships, loss of free will ?

Still enjoyed the experience for the visuals and the atmosphere though
You should come by the spoiler thread; pretty much everything about the world is told through visuals and background.
 
The only minor gripe I have is that I felt the last part (
when you're the fleshy-limb-ball
) went on maybe five minutes too long. Other than that, it's nearly a perfect game in my mind.

I guess my take there is that there shouldn't have been any puzzles or significant obstacles during that part. (And I say that knowing full well that the fire-box puzzle was the best in the game.)
 
I guess my take there is that there shouldn't have been any puzzles or significant obstacles during that part. (And I say that knowing full well that the fire-box puzzle was the best in the game.)
But those puzzles were the point.
They were testing, studying, and observing their creation. You see the scientists in the background watching and taking notes. You have challenges designed for the blob (pressing the button with the wooden beam, throwing the box around, etc.) and see multiple iterations in the background like older test areas.
 

Vintage

Member
So I finished it but I'm very dissatisfied with the ending(s)

I usually enjoy minimalistic narration but I feel it leaves too many things unexplained in that case. I'm not even sure about what themes it's trying to explore. Dictatorships, loss of free will ?

Still enjoyed the experience for the visuals and the atmosphere though

At first I thought the same, but after some time thinking about it and reading other people's theories I realized that probably no ending would be satisfactory if devs tried to explain it. The theories are part of the game.
 

ManeKast

Member
Just finished it;

Absolutely phenomenal. The puzzles were all perfectly logical, not once was I completely stuck or needing a guide. I thought it was perfect, it blew my mind.

10/10
 

Oneself

Member
Well, put me down as one of those who considers this a modern masterpiece. I honestly wouldn't change a thing. To me it was as close to perfect as it gets. Haunting, provocative, surprising, as well as being a visual, aural, and technical marvel. Loved it.
This.
Such an amazing game that gave me strange feelings; it's claustrophobic, disturbing, suffocating yet absolutely awesome. :|
 
I really have no idea what you're complaining about there. The controls are extremely intuitive, you basically just point stuff in the right direction and it happens. Game doesn't even have a tutorial, because it doesn't need one.

You're talking about player agency which is a different subject matter altogether. I'm talking about the controller design that is used to play this game and it wasn't considered carefully, The very first puzzle in which you have to move an object caused me to fumble every button just to see which works is an example of bad controller design infrastructure. The game only relies on two face buttons but it doesn't let you know which.
 
I'm currently playing Limbo on iOS and hate it but am still intrigued by Inside.

Would it be smart to buy Inside if I don't like Limbo? I mainly hate the trial and error stuff and that Limbo is supposedly a case of style over substance.
 
I just got past the section where
you had to take cover from the thudding blasts of noise
Any idea about how much time left to go? Trying to figure out if I can finish this off in one more sitting.
 

Trojan

Member
I see the steam forums feel the company should of spent the denuvo money on more content...

for once I am inclined to agree

How did you possibly link those two things together? That not only is bad logic; treating game length like a checkbox is also bad game design. Inside has zero filler and its current length makes it one of the best paced games I've played in years.
 

megalowho

Member
Finished this in a couple of sittings. Think I need to let it sit with me a bit to know how I ultimately feel. There’s aspects I loved; the atmosphere is so potent, sound design is fantastic and the animations are hypnotically good. As a total package it’s polished, focused and true to an artistic vision. Top tier nonverbal storytelling, an improvement over Limbo in just about every way. Final sequence is really something.

But like Limbo, the longer it went on the less patience I had for playing it. Slow jogs and swims through creepy environments eventually wears a little thin. Some obstacles are clever and well integrated, others are die and try again enthusiasm killers. After Uncharted 4 and this I’ve had my fill of the dragging stuff around puzzle trope, and for a game that makes you go underwater as often as it does you can’t hold your breath for shit.

May be that I’m just not a big fan of physics based puzzle-platformers. There’s a good amount of interesting ideas at play and scenarios that do resonate and I was still ready for things to wrap up before the end. Think I’d enjoy the Playdead experience a bit more with less actual playing dead throughout their surreal narratives. In for whatever they do next all the same.

Spoiler:
The underwater breathing issue eventually gets addressed in a cool way but it still felt too restrictive for most of the game.
 

Jobbs

Banned
Just finished it. It was exceptionally strong in terms of presentation and atmosphere, and at times had me thoroughly entranced, but it ended somewhat abruptly and left me feeling like "that can't be it".

Overall I'd recommend it, but I think it would have felt better as $10 or $15 title.
 
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