Inmost Critic Reviews

Inmost may seem like an ordinary 15 dollars indie game that you can kill in a few hours, but it is actually a unique tale full of secrets that will make you play it over and over again to fully discover its creepy world.

Inmost is a very short puzzle platformer type game and does an absolutely incredible job at story telling through the atmosphere, Players can spend a little time going through a story that while only lasts about 3-5 hours, packs an abstract emotional punch that is going to stick around for so much longer... even if it is simply to figure out just what they just played.

Driven by a mastered artistic direction and a staging that hits the mark, Inmost is a dark and captivating tale that can be read in one go.

Inmost is a well-balanced game that carefully combines a profoundly emotional story with a challenging, and at times scary, gameplay. Its visuals and soundtrack complement its central themes of grief and loss so well, resulting in a truly unique and genuinely haunting experience. Despite some minor issues such and a rushed conclusion that was merely told to the player rather than having them experience it, Inmost's dynamic storytelling, challenging puzzles, and immersive combat are enough to outweigh all of its shortcomings.

Inmost more or less sticks the landing, and just when you think things can’t get more tragic, there’s a ray of hope as the credits roll that brought warmth to my cold, cold heart. Though the gameplay may have some imperfections, Inmost is greater than the sum of its parts by way of its narrative, and for that reason alone, I highly recommend it.

Inmost could be the very definition of a hidden gem. It is probably too niche and maudlin to connect with a wider audience, but one would suspect that those it does connect with will find it to be a unique and affecting experience. It's short and not a difficult undertaking to get through, but it does do just enough to get the grey matter moving, and rewards consistently with those congratulatory "aha!" moments or aforementioned set-pieces. This really defines itself with a dark atmosphere and filmic quality, even if that's hard to imagine a 2D aesthetic doing. It has an auteur's mark on it, which leaves an impression, and makes Hidden Layers Games, Alexey Testov and Andriy Vinchovskiy ones to watch out for in future.

Inmost delivers a variety of gameplay styles, delivering three thoughtfully discordant narratives that tie together with a gut punch at the end. Beautifully constructed pixel-art graphics set a surprisingly somber tone, and the music is top notch at setting the horrific yet contemplative mood. Recommended.

Dark, depressing, and more than a little intense, Inmost is a gorgeous game with a powerful narrative hook that doesn’t need to focus on its gameplay to deliver a powerful experience.

Dark and obscure, Inmost is maybe one of the saddest game we've seen in recent years but its gloom is mostly concealed in a strange and complex storytelling that make this game very interesting and deep.

Inmost tells a disturbing yet beautiful tale set in a complex world. It balances both narrative and gameplay surprisingly well and offers an experience that will keep you engaged throughout. Despite some small issues, Hidden Layer Games offers one of the best indie game experiences in a while and is worth your time if you are a fan of platforming and puzzle-solving.

A beautifully crafted, atmospheric, story-driven puzzle platformer that follows three characters in a short, yet unforgettable battle against human weaknesses.

Inmost took me by surprise as I wasn’t prepared for the incredible story it has to tell. Its gameplay and puzzle elements are perfectly symmetrical, making it easy to immerse yourself in this dark world for an evening and come out feeling satisfied, if not, a little melancholic. Load times and lack of direction do very little to hinder this adventure that I think is well worth your time.

Inmost carries with it a strong, emotional message related to feelings of loss and grief and as such, it's a game that starts off right when it comes to bonding with its players. Unfortunately it doesn't take long until unexplainable performance issues start harming the experience with an inconsistent framerate, which is difficult to understand as this is not a visually demanding game (despite its very competent audiovisual art style), and the dull, redundant gameplay with two of its three characters transmits close to nothing in terms of challenge. Inmost could have turned out much better, with a greater investment in its gameplay experience and in solving its paralyzing issues but as it is, this is an interesting but also extremely frustrating game.

I still recommend Inmost for having a clear and heartfelt thesis, for trusting players to go along for the ride, and for providing plenty of eye- and ear-candy to keep them enthralled along the way. As disorienting and alien as Hidden Layer’s world feels, I imagine most players will be surprised by how strongly they relate to its characters by the time the credits roll.

Inmost tells its dark and troubling tale with plenty of style and there's an expertly handled mixing of narrative elements and satisfying gameplay mechanics for the most part that only really loses its way in the final stretch, unwisely wrestling control away from players and brute-forcing a rather neat and tidy ending that's at odds with how deftly the multi-layered story is handled early on. This and a few control niggles aside, however, are not enough to derail what is a genuinely haunting and memorable experience that's well worth checking out.

The story that INMOST sets out to tell is the sort that’ll stick in your mind long after you’ve reached its conclusion. As for actually playing the game, despite some dragged out moments, there’s a good mix of puzzle and platforming to be found here that coupled with some truly unsettling and atmospheric visuals create a hauntingly intriguing experience but one you better be prepared for.

Inmost is a fascinating adventure full of symbolism, which is not afraid to face - albeit in a way a little too hermetic and at times sincerely confused - undoubtedly strong themes and in general not exactly recurring in the videogame field.

Inmost is tragic, gut-wrenching, and absolutely confronting. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you’re looking for something that will make you cry, you’ve come to the right place.

That sense of place makes Inmost a guarded recommendation, even if portions of it can feel slow and the story is less profound than it wishes it was. Scrambling around the castle in the platformer sections always leads to a curious mechanism, encounter, or vista, and the puzzles are simple enough to rarely prompt any outside assistance. It’s a unique, short, and probably over-priced game for what it offers, but Inmost's terrific presentation still makes it worth a look.