Parents' Guide to Inside

This excellent adventure is a follow-up to the acclaimed indie hit Limbo, and it shares much in common with that game. Both are mysterious run-to-the-right puzzle-platformers starring a young boy that feature dark themes and contextual conundrums involving switches, water, and objects governed by commonsense physics. That said, Inside takes a step further into disturbing territory with its haunting imagery and enigmatic story, which is likely to creep out many players even as it keeps them glued to the screen, craving answers and understanding. That understanding never comes -- at least not in clear, unambiguous terms -- but there's a certain satisfaction to be gleaned from a narrative experience that leaves much to the interpretation of individual players.

The riddles extend beyond the story and into play. The boy's frequently confronted with puzzles appropriate to his given situation that can usually be solved through a mix of experimentation and a commonsense understanding of physics and the world around us. Since controls are limited to a joystick for movement, a button assigned to jump, and another to interact with objects, solutions are usually just a matter of figuring out what can be manipulated and then thinking of different ways that those things can be used. You may get stuck, but the answers can usually be found either through perseverance or by taking a quick break and coming back to the problem with a fresh perspective. The real stars of the show, though, are Inside's compelling narrative, singular atmosphere, and empathic hero. The evocative final scene will stay with you long after the brief credits finish flashing across the screen.