Do you remember it? That tale about flowers?
Inmost is a 2D-pixelated puzzle/platform game developed by Hidden Layer Games and published by Chucklefish, publishers of the farming sim juggernaut Stardew Valley.
I don’t often do reviews of media in my writing. If I do, then it’s media I’ve forged a deep connection with and feel compelled to revisit with my own thoughts. Something I want to go through the looking glass again with, as it were. Inmost was a game that spoke to me and it may be a game that speaks to you. Published in 2019 we – like the Girl of the story – are a bit late to the tea party, but with Inmost, I’d say that’s better late than never.
The story follows three separate characters: A mysterious man searching for answers in a crumbling world, a valiant knight struggling to defeat a monster known as the Keeper while succumbing to his own madness, and a young lonely girl exploring the rooms and secrets of her large, empty home. The story is set in two different worlds: the world of the young Girl, inspired by ghost stories and haunted houses, and a gothic fantasy world that both the Man and the Knight traverse while avoiding or confronting monsters and slowly uncovering the story’s secrets.
The story is told by both a male and female Narrator (whose identities can be guessed but are not fully revealed until the end of the game) and also by a character called The Storyteller. The Storyteller will reveal new pieces of information after certain milestones are reached in collecting the one loot item in the game, Pain Crystals. The fact that pain crystals are the singular form of currency in this world gives some early indication about the true nature of the story. All three of these story threads, though seemingly disparate at first, are interconnected by a shadow monster which feeds on pain. Each of the protagonist must face it down, in their own way and for their own reasons.
Visually, the game sports impressive 2D pixel art that matches the dark and foreboding environments and story. The entire game looks like it may have been wrapped in a thin layer of film creating a greenish blue patina over the whole screen. It gives the proceedings a menacing and dreamlike quality. A look both equal parts gothic horror and campfire story. The visuals work particularly well when paired with the astonishingly good original soundtrack.
Most of the music is comprised of staccato notes played on a discordant piano, occasionally mixed with sour string arrangements that culminate at the appropriate moments in beautifully melodic pieces that swell and crescendo, adding all the right punctuations to what is already a very emotional and moving story. A game this good was in need of a killer soundtrack and the OST does not disappoint. The gameplay is also top notch. Apart from some object interactions that can feel confusing or janky, the gameplay is an incredibly tight mix of puzzle solving, platforming and combat.
The Girl sections require exploration, as you find objects hidden throughout the house with the purpose of solving a mystery that is only vaguely understood at first. Typically, you need to find something to climb on like a stool or chair along with a tool like an umbrella to help you progress to the next part of the puzzle. The Knight, meanwhile, is the only combat section of the narrative. The Knight makes his way through caverns and cliffs, fighting shadow monsters, seeking to slay the dark and mysterious creature that haunts the steps of the protagonists.
The combat is straightforward and if you die you respawn near the spot of death. Fortunately, enemies that were already killed do not respawn, so death feels like less of a nuisance than it could given that the controls sometimes feel imprecise and at least a few deaths are inevitable. Besides swinging a sword, the Knight also carries a grappling hook which he uses to rappel from ledge to ledge. It all works serviceably well, as this is clearly not a game interested on focusing too heavily on combat mechanics or difficulty.
The Man, who is ostensibly the main character and thus the one you spend the most time with, is a combination of the other two. Unlike the Knight he is unable to directly deal damage, but frequently encounters monsters all the same instead using his wits to outsmart his pursuers. The exploration focuses on solving puzzles, like cutting a rope, fixing an elevator or finding a way to access a lever, in order to uncover a new secret. There are some genuinely clever puzzles that are both deep and intriguing but the touch is light enough that nothing feels overly frustrating. The gameplay is always interesting enough to keep you moving forward, and after finishing some of the chapters there are intercuts of exposition, dropping clues like breadcrumbs about what ultimately is going on.
The narrative structure of the game is reminiscent of the movie The Fountain by Darren Aronofksy. In fact, the parallels are so direct that there is even a late game achievement called The Fountain. I won’t spoil the plot of either here, but the way The Fountain interplays reality and fantasy is on similar display in Inmost. The game deals with dark and tragic themes that belie its pixel sprite characters and world. It deals with loss, grief, loneliness, pain, suicide, mental illness and death. It’s a difficult blend of both scary and sad, a gothic horror tale told through the very topical lens of personal tragedy.
It’s not a story everyone will enjoy, given how dark the proceedings get. The pain the characters of Inmost go through, the sadness they feel, the fantasies they construct, all feel like a dark-mirror version of our own private grief. After I finished the game and the credits rolled, I cried. You may too. Its themes of sadness and despair are universal and I imagine that most people who play this game will be affected by the major story reveals.
But fear not. Darkness isn’t the only powerful force in Inmost. Its story, while undeniably tragic, is also firmly about hope. It’s about how love can heal us, that perhaps love is the only thing that truly can. The ending is emotionally poignant and it leaves off on a lovely and poetic note that will stay with you long after you finish its brief 5-6 hour run time. Like all the best art we don’t just enjoy it, it stays with us. Both a spectre and a friend hiding there in the corners of our mind.
Inmost will stay with me. I’m oh so very glad I played it. Perhaps you will be too.
Loved it – 10/10
Inmost is available on iOS, Steam and Nintendo Switch
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