Guest Contributor

Gamers may have recently noticed Playdead’s Inside on sale on Steam for less than a dollar, which might not immediately raise expectations. Some players may also tend to enjoy multiplayer games more than single-player experiences, but that alone is not a reason to overlook this one.

It’s a fairly simple game. Players control a small boy running through dark forests, abandoned farms, and strange facilities while solving puzzles. There’re no dialogue or instructions. The game simply expects players to keep moving and figure things out on their own.

Strangely enough, that is one of the game’s most appealing qualities.

It captures the familiar experience of TV streaming, where someone may randomly click on something just to pass the time, only to discover one of the best shows or films they have seen in a while. That is the kind of experience the game can create.

The World Speaks Without Words
At first it may not seem unusual, but with more time spent playing it becomes clear that this is a game where the player must observe and interpret what the environment is communicating.

There are even groups of people moving in perfect synchronization, as if they have lost all individuality. It is especially effective because it feels similar to the kind of sci-fi stories seen on streaming services where people are being controlled. But in this game, no explanation is given. There’s no backstory or monologue, but the effect is still deeply felt. The way they move, the way the facilities are built, the clutter around the buildings, and even the light filtering through the environment all create the sense that something is deeply off.

Other scenes take place in cold, industrial facilities that look like experiments. The silence and minimalism make the game feel heavier. And since there’s no monologue whatsoever, players are forced to notice the smallest details and think about their meaning.

Subtly Addicting but Extremely Creepy
It becomes clear that the developers at Playdead trust players to pick up on the details of the game. Instead of explaining what the world is, what is happening, or what everything means, the developers allow players to experience it and draw their own conclusions. It stands as a strong example of environmental storytelling.

While playing, it becomes difficult not to connect some of those ideas to real life. The simulation can easily be read as reflecting many aspects of daily life, where routines, expectations, social structures, and aspirations slowly turn people into parts of a machine. It all begins to feel mechanical when examined closely.

It’s unsettling. The atmosphere is similar to a film once seen on Spanish TV where everyone in the town seemed to follow the same routines, say the same things, and act as though they were all just playing parts in someone else’s plan.

The Puzzles
The puzzles themselves aren’t overly complicated. Most of them are about moving objects, activating switches, figuring out how environments interact, and looking for the right paths. But the situations around the puzzles are where the thrill comes from. Sometimes, the player is being chased by armed men and dogs. Sometimes, the environment itself feels deeply unsettling. One thing is guaranteed, though: the player is never safe.

One memorable moment occurs when the character is chased by a creepy creature while driving a submarine. The tension in that level ramps up from the first time the player dies. The pressure and tension are so effective that players can become desperate to figure out how to escape or move past that area.

Playdead’s Inside is a Game That Makes Players Feel Small
Inside works because it mirrors life in a way most games don’t. It shows systems, routines, and pressures in a world that’s exaggerated, but somehow believable. The game encourages players to notice similar patterns in the real world as well. It highlights how people follow rules without questioning them and how small choices are constrained by larger systems. For players considering it, Inside remains one of the most memorable puzzle games available.