a triumph for the "games as art" movement, but wont convert those that just want boss fights.
Having just completed Inside, there are so many things I wish I could include in this review, unfortunately exposing what really drew me into this game could diminish the artistic effect it has for any potential buyers. I can say that Inside is one of the absolute best "one of those" artistic gaming experiences that started around the release of the developers previous game. The game is much more tightly constructed than its predecessor, every encounter exuding a sense of purpose for the story and balance for the player that I can't say I've ever found in a game before now. There is a constant ambiguity here, so if you like your games to have a beginning middle and end with a clear ending and a rewarding boss fight, look elsewhere.
Inside is a 2 hour long experience, and that's coming from a reasonably proficient gamer's clear time, so you're paying roughly ten dollars per hour. This could be troubling if you're evaluating it as a game, but as an experience I would say the price is fair. The game has stuck with me for much longer than your average summer blockbuster, and the complete silence of the experience invokes the mental participation of a good novel on a lonely night, the depths of your imagination are being tapped into here. That deep and permeating atmosphere extends the duration of the experience for as long as you'll allow yourself to be haunted by it.
The reason I only gave this 4 stars is because I am in fact reviewing a game, and want to caution more casual gamer's that were told by their indie loving friends that Inside would change their lives, and must be played above all else. If you have not found yourself enjoying many independent films, or other examples from the games as art camp, then this will probably not convert you. Inside is for any gamer that wants to experience a story, as long as they're in agreement with their own psyche filling in most of the details.
