Inmost is a story about a Knight, a Wanderer, and a little girl. Honestly, the sections with the little girl scared me the most.
Inmost, as the game will tell you many times, is a story about pain. It is not a happy story. It is often very dark and covers distressing themes. But it is a truthful story and it deserves to be told.
Inmost is a short game that only took me about four hours to complete, but I was engrossed the entire time. If you’re in the mood to experience a dark story for the chance of a ray of hope at the end, Inmost is for you.
Different Characters, Different Playstyles
Inmost features three unique characters that each have different playstyles. Each character takes the game to different genres and playstyles. From an exploration puzzle-solver, to a platforming dungeon-crawler, to a straightforward hack-and-slash, Inmost’s characters each have something unique to offer.
For most of your time in Inmost, you’ll play as the Wanderer, a bearded man exploring a destroyed castle. In these sections, the game focuses on platforming and exploring the castle. You’ll jump from surface to surface and collect objects to help you advance. As the Wanderer, you’ll have to use your wits to trap and kill enemies, or else avoid them if possible.
As the Wanderer, you’ll unlock different passages and collect trinkets called “pain” which will let you learn more about the story of this realm. Eventually, you’ll even encounter a brilliant white fox, stark against the rest of the game. The fox is your path forward.
You’ll start your time in Inmost playing as a little girl. The little girl’s sections focus on exploration and puzzle-solving as she clambers around an old house. The little girl cannot jump, so you’ll have to move furniture and think carefully to get where you’re going. The most perilous aspect of the little girl’s sections is the emotional turmoil you’ll endure.
The final character of Inmost is the Knight. The Knight is the first character you’ll see in Inmost, but the last you’ll play. You’ll typically play as the Knight after advancing as the Wanderer. Like the little girl, the Knight cannot jump, but unlike the Wanderer, the Knight has a sword. The Knight’s sections are welcome breaks from the Wanderer’s sections as you’ll hack through enemies. Combat with the Knight is fun, fast-paced, and low-stakes.
Art of Inmost
Inmost makes great use of its pixel art style. Inmost is a game that plays with light and shadow, and it is able to magnificently convey those themes with its art. The pixel art gives Inmost exactly the right vibe.
The game also uses color to shade the pixels which does a great job at setting tone and progressing the plot. Inmost’s usage of color also makes certain moments pop. Nothing is more startling than seeing an object stand out visually against Inmost’s monochromatic environments.
The one downside of Inmost’s art style is that critical objects can sometimes blend into the background. The little girl’s sections in particular had moments where I wasn’t sure what to climb or what could be climbed due to the art style. However, I found this problem relatively minor and was only genuinely stumped once.
Go Play Inmost
Inmost is a game best experienced for yourself. I found the story compelling, hopeful, and ultimately, heartwarming. However, this story carries dark themes and is not for everyone. Please be aware that this game could be triggering for some people. The game features a young girl in distress from the first playable section and continues to feature distressing themes throughout.
From the start of Inmost, I found myself invested in the story. While the story was sometimes a little confusing, the ending cleared up much of that confusion, and I found myself understanding everything that happened. I rate this game a 7 out of 10. I found Inmost to be an emotional experience that was well worth my time.
