Inner Reviews

Having tried a few times, this games seems good on the psychological aspects figuring out a persons memory. Im still and always trying to avoid these scary monsters. The game def. is unique. I find it was border line to recommend or not. So i chode to recommend this game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVE3r82JVBc

A relaxing, yet terrifying experience. A unique combination of elements that is definitely a must-play. The fact that this game was made in only 3 days is impressive and for the low low price of $0.99, who could pass it up?

Very fun little puzzle game, very atmospheric and nice to look at

Found this to be interesting and somewhat hitting close to home. Extremely well made for only 3 days and the story of put together can be tear-jerking to some. Extremely great on the story. For a game that is about 10 minutes long I cannot recommend enough. You must get to the ending. Also made a video on it :) https://youtu.be/xEjOVkCAMh4

The game has several good qualities and I am aware of the background of it being developed at a 3 day game jam, which is impressive, and I'm not discouraging people from buying the game, heck, it sells for about a buck and it's definitely worth that. The game was just more frustrating than fun for me so I wouldn't "recommend" it. The things that would have made this game a lot more enjoyable? *** SPOILER ALERT if you don't want to know what you are supposed to do then don't read further*** 1) One line of instructions " Find items in the lower half and match to memories in the upper half and bring to the circle. 2) Put in a save game or at least a restart from where you left off. When you get caught by the ghost, you not only lose everything and start over it takes you all the way back to the Main menu and intro! I know it's a short game but repeating stuff over and over is NOT FUN. 3) Put in an option for "slow or fast" ghost. Very frustrating to get caught in the long hallways and even using the run key, getting caught and having to start over. There's a reason steam stats say only 6% of players have finished this 15 minute game. Get's more frustrating than fun pretty quick.

Let's be real. This game was made in only 3 days for a game jam so don't expect a 7-10 hour experience. What you do get, however, is an interesting and very imaginative game for only 99 cents. I was lost for a good thirty minutes or so before really understanding what was happening. I was left with a sympathetic main character, which very surprising since our main character doesn't look like your average person. There's actually a whole backstory behind such a simple concept that I was actually blown away by the end. The game isn't super hard, but it gives you enough struggle to feel satisfied. The mechanics are unique on their own and I understood why your character moved like that when I understood who we are. I don't want to give away anymore since It may spoil how the game is won. By the way, I also have an achievement named after me "The Matt-T". So there is that :P In no way is my review bias, but very genuine. Don't expect a long or over the top gameplay experience, but think more simple. I think you will be surprised by only spending $1 of your hard earned cash to support such an ambitious 3 day project.

[code]Curator page here -->[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/37670120/] DaRevieweD #29 [/url] <-- [i]New review every Sunday[/i][/code] Brian Clarke, who used to be in AAA is now a solo indie developer; DarkStone Digital and I just discovered him recently! His first major game was "The Subject" back in 2018 and "Inner" was his second title being the culmination of a three-day effort during a Twitch stream! From what I was told, this short game (like finding a needle in a haystack in the store) will be the first in a horror anthology series! So far all his other titles, demos are of the horror genre and so I think I'll be seeing more of him- you should too if you're into being scared!! [h1]"Confrontation Is Tough"[/h1] [u]The Gist:[/u] Play as an unnamed character undergoing hypnosis as part of a treatment regimen for depression. Uncover the past and face repressed memories in order to escape the ghost within your mind. Just keep trying at your own pace. [spoiler] ! Do you remember if there were any spoilers? [/spoiler] [h1][+] PROS;[/h1] [b](a) Lost Within[/b] The gameplay is minimalistic- quite quick to master. You start out in a safe place inside your mind and you have to explore between two dark areas. One of which is run down with shelves and disorganized covered objects. The other is a self-storage with locked away memories. Played out through a top-down perspective and only your eyes will light up where you're facing. Interact between the two areas and piece together the past! To add to the difficulty, there's also a ghost that will hunt you down and rattle you. You can run away until you've lost the enemy, get fatigued or return to the safe place. But getting caught will undo any progress made! [b](b) It Never Goes[/b] The plot is about this person who's trying to face his past and how these memories have impacted him so negatively all this while. I'd like to think that I have a good grip on reality but I admit I do feel overwhelmed over some things I've done in the past. So it's a good reminder of how strong you've been or even an actual therapy where you realize it's possible to get through the tough times. Oh and I almost cried near the end... just wow. [b](c) Not Alone[/b] Which brings me to the moral of the story. It's a tale as old as time and these situations met by the protagonist is one that many people can or have themselves been into. To try to get in with the "cool kids" and be the subject of the joke. To be devastated by someone's death especially someone so dear and close to you. To (though I haven't yet :') be conflicted when it comes to relationships and trying to make it work. There are other situations mentioned which may seem centered on a teen but think of it more as a stroll down memory lane. I'm starting to wonder if there are actual tidbit moments here and there inspired by the developer's own life... Either way, it's still very moving. [b](d) When You Least Expect It[/b] So how scary is this? VERY!! I mean, to be fair the encounters with the ghost (who's form is never revealed till the end) are mini jump scares with the music sting accompaniment and suddenness of it. However that's exactly the point! This is what was alluded by the therapist- that the sheer pain can strike at any time and impede on the recovery process. The limited field of view obscured by darkness and the cone shape also doesn't help. Don't forget the fact that you have to think twice before turning each corner or leave the haven. Though, I think the most terrifying thing is when the ghost catches you. It restarts the game sure (which is nail-biting all on its own) but it also echoes the arduous notion that progress takes time especially ones involving mental traumas. [h1][-] CONS;[/h1] [b](i) Where Do I Look?[/b] Environments were designed to be bland and identical. Which it could have been an artistic choice because it signifies the person's denial and neglect of the past. But obviously, it was because of other constraints. Regardless, it is hard to tell them apart and you have to rely on memory alone to pinpoint where a personal effect is along with which happening it is to be connected to. Otherwise you'll have to constantly wander and sooner or later run into you know what. [b](ii) You'll Get There, Breathe...[/b] Beginning the game, you are given a brief introduction of what to do, sort of. What you literally have to do however, is more complex and I spent the first hour alone thinking all I had to do was go through each flashback. But actually, you have to go southwards first to collect an item (out of six) strewn about and then head north to associate it with a scene from the past. Doing so will give you one piece to set in your safe haven and reconstruct your broken self. [spoiler]Each addition will partially fix the lights in the self-storage location. As long as you are bathed in their rays, you will be left alone by the ghost; thereby extending the protection of the safe area. Also, you can leave the haven through either door but in order to re-enter it- you have to come in through the opposite side of whichever you chose to exit. [/spoiler] But the game doesn't say that! I appreciate that it's a smart little gimmick that maybe says- only you can help yourself but I still would have appreciated the heads up! :') [b](iii) It's Just Too Much[/b] Several other issues bog the design. Firstly, the stamina bar which is messed up because it doesn't regenerate in any way unless you actually become winded. Then you have to recoup by waiting 10+ seconds. There's also a bug where sometimes the character just decides to sprint (I didn't), gets me worn out and then the wretched ghost appears out of nowhere... Speaking of which, the second issue revolves around detecting the ghost. When nearby or facing in its direction, a static will sound and growing stronger with proximity. However, there were times when this tell doesn't appear at all- you can see it float away until it's off screen. I even encountered an instance where the coast was clear but then I turn a corner, the ghost just "BOO" the crap out of me leaving me no chance to run, it was like a James Wan movie. The ghost also sometimes ignored me like "NOPE", perhaps it's having a bad day too? Worst case scenario is being alerted (from across the map ) when I don't even see it anywhere so I run in one direction only to come to face to face with it... talk about bad luck!! Finally of course, the obligatory mention of some very minor spelling errors (which just hurts me to my core). [h1]"...It's A Start"[/h1] In conclusion "Inner", despite being a $1 game and very brief one-off (minutes at most supposedly) experience, contains surprisingly more emotional depth and layered significance than half of the horror games out there! The time and effort that went into the game may not seem much but it's a true testament to the phrase quality over quantity. The aspects of loss, struggles to fit in and down-in-the-dumps are very relatable feelings and it could be applicable to pretty much anyone. Sure improvements can be made to the gameplay and there could have been more guidance by the therapist but the core message is gotten across through trial and error! A truly underrated masterpiece that requires some sensibility but you actually feel like you have progressed a lot over time and countless attempts. [h1]9/10[/h1] [b]Other games include; The Subject, Our Secret Below, Kohate and soon Mortuary Assistant![/b]