In Between

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 216 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
In Between Game Cover
What will you reflect upon when the final moments draw near?
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"In Between" is a puzzle-platformer game that follows the story of a man coming to terms with his mortality. Players must navigate through levels that represent the five stages of grief, solving puzzles that incorporate unique mechanics based on perspective and time manipulation. The game features a contemplative narrative and atmospheric art style to create a thought-provoking experience.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 216 reviews
story61 positive mentions
grinding6 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and emotionally engaging story that explores themes of grief and acceptance.
  • The puzzles are well-designed, challenging, and require both strategic thinking and precise execution.
  • The hand-drawn art style and atmospheric soundtrack enhance the overall experience, making it visually and audibly captivating.
  • The game can be frustratingly difficult at times, with some levels requiring pixel-perfect precision and leading to frequent deaths.
  • There are no checkpoints in levels, which can lead to repetitive gameplay when players fail and have to restart from the beginning.
  • Some players may find the narrative heavy-handed or overly depressing, which could detract from the enjoyment of the gameplay.
  • story201 mentions

    The story in "In Between" is a deeply emotional narrative centered around a dying man grappling with his terminal illness, exploring themes of grief and acceptance through a unique blend of gameplay and storytelling. Players find the storytelling compelling and well-integrated with the puzzle mechanics, although some feel the execution can be flawed or overshadowed by challenging gameplay. Overall, the game is praised for its beautiful art, engaging voice acting, and the poignant way it conveys its themes, making it a memorable experience for those who appreciate narrative-driven games.

    • “The story is captivating, the controls are marvelous, the graphics are wonderful.”
    • “In between life and death, a story unfolds that may seem cliché at first glance, but is expressed in a compelling and intense manner.”
    • “The story is very emotional and expertly delivered by a narrator during cutscenes and in-game sections.”
    • “The story is captivating, but the narrator is monotonous and boring, not enough to keep my interest.”
    • “The storyline is lost under overly pointless and frustrating control systems.”
    • “While I admire the developers for tackling a difficult subject, the story misses opportunities to instill hope into those who might download it, looking for some relief.”
  • gameplay124 mentions

    The gameplay of "In Between" features a mix of intuitive mechanics that evolve throughout the game, often reflecting the stages of grief, which keeps the experience fresh and engaging. However, some players find certain mechanics, particularly the "darkness" mechanic, frustrating due to imprecise controls and timing challenges, leading to mixed feelings about the overall gameplay experience. While the integration of story and mechanics is praised, the difficulty and occasional lack of clarity in mechanics can detract from enjoyment for some players.

    • “The gameplay consists of clearing different levels, and the mechanics are easy to grasp; however, they remain fresh since the level designs of each stage force the player to think outside the box.”
    • “The game frequently throws new mechanics into the mix but does so at a fair pace that isn't overwhelming, making it a refreshing experience.”
    • “In between is a story-driven puzzle platformer with gravity rotation mechanics that has the makings of a new classic, combining very good gameplay with a deep story.”
    • “The gameplay itself could be better and will cause more frustration than what it's worth.”
    • “But the gameplay here is not nearly tight enough to justify playing through these long, checkpoint-sparse levels.”
    • “Seriously, I was kind of enjoying the game, and then they introduced that creeping darkness mechanic that advances when you don't look at it, and suddenly the experience became hellish.”
  • music55 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its seamless integration with the visuals and gameplay. The soundtrack features a mix of relaxing piano and emotive compositions that complement the game's narrative, although some found it to be repetitive or less memorable. Overall, the music is considered a standout element, contributing significantly to the game's emotional depth and immersive experience.

    • “The music fits the game perfectly; the story is easy and nice to follow, and the game has a really deep meaning.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing and really fits the tone and the pacing of the story.”
    • “Great puzzle-platformer with engaging music and visuals, with story elements strewn throughout similar to Braid.”
    • “The music... it always makes me double check if I've left Minecraft running in the background.”
    • “The soundtrack felt meh, a little on the edgy side but suits the story, so I'll give it a pass.”
    • “Sound effects, voice acting, and music are all decent if rather forgettable.”
  • graphics53 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful hand-drawn art style, which enhances the emotional depth of the story and creates an immersive atmosphere. While many reviewers highlight the impressive visuals and attention to detail, some note that certain graphical elements can appear outdated or muddy, affecting gameplay experience. Overall, the aesthetic appeal and unique design contribute significantly to the game's charm, despite some criticisms regarding hitbox accuracy and control issues.

    • “The graphics are very appealing and add to the experience.”
    • “Graphics are very impressive with a distinct art style that aids in conveying emotion and messages.”
    • “In between is a really great game with beautiful hand-painted visuals, a stunning atmosphere, and a deep and engaging story.”
    • “Although the reviews were looking promising, the design and graphics seemed outdated.”
    • “The hand-drawn visuals are rather muddy and can look a little unprofessional.”
    • “The game’s hand drawn visuals shatter like mirrors as you progress, or whenever you fall helpless to the game’s challenge.”
  • emotional27 mentions

    The game is praised for its deeply emotional narrative that effectively intertwines with its puzzle mechanics, creating a cathartic experience for players. Many reviewers highlight the touching story, beautiful art, and excellent voice acting, which evoke strong feelings of grief and acceptance throughout the gameplay. Overall, it is described as a heartfelt journey that resonates with players on a personal level, often leaving them emotionally moved.

    • “The game keeps things interesting through its 4-hour runtime by modifying the puzzles to match the emotional state the narrator is in during his journey through grief.”
    • “The story is sad, heartwarming, and powerful.”
    • “From the near genius game and level design, which leave you with this 'just-one-more-try' feeling, to the wonderfully crafted art style and the emotional story – everything just feels right and lets you immerse in a very personal story of the dying protagonist.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals, captivating music, and immersive storytelling, creating a relaxing yet engaging experience. Reviewers highlight the artistic beauty and atmospheric sounds that enhance the overall theme, making it a standout feature despite concerns about its runtime and price. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a major strength, contributing significantly to its appeal.

    • “The atmosphere is just stunning.”
    • “Artistically beautiful, with good atmospheric sounds, great narration, and a captivating story.”
    • “In between is a really great game with beautiful hand-painted visuals, a stunning atmosphere, and a deep and engaging story.”
    • “It's a bit pricey for its runtime, which can be completed in about an hour or two unless you go achievement hunting or want cards, but would be well worth it in a sale for the music and atmosphere alone.”
    • “Where it really shines though is in atmosphere.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often feeling that it detracts from the overall experience. While some mechanics are interesting, many describe the repetitive nature of the gameplay, particularly under time constraints, as a chore rather than an engaging challenge. Overall, the combination of poorly designed puzzles and clunky controls contributes to a sense of dissatisfaction during grinding segments.

    • “In the end, I did go back and clear all the bonus levels too, but the narrator's comment about losing your dignity in the process really hit home as I was grinding through that very last level.”
    • “Pressing buttons quickly in a certain order to control the character in an obvious but tedious way is maybe a good exercise for fine motor skills, but not for me.”
    • “This can get rather tedious, especially in the levels where you are under an effective time limit.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    Players generally find the game to have high replayability, especially after recent updates that improved checkpoint systems, making it more accessible. However, some express frustration with the lack of clear rewards for redoing levels, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. The game has received a solid replayability score of 8.

    • “The game has high replayability, offering new experiences with each playthrough.”
    • “Since the update that increased checkpoints, the game feels much more playable and accessible.”
    • “Replayability: 8”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, user reviews indicate a mixed experience regarding stability; while some players report a largely bug-free experience, others express significant frustration due to glitches and challenging gameplay mechanics that detract from their enjoyment.

    • “The game is pretty much bug-free, though the developers mentioned they found a few minor issues.”
    • “Having completed each set of levels with feelings of frustration -- either due to their difficulty or the glitches that I experienced -- has overridden my ability to sympathize with the protagonist and his plight.”
    • “There are a lot of good things about this game - the art and music are great - but the buggy, spike-happy, checkpoint-sparse platforming difficulty made the game crushingly frustrating for me.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance throughout, enhancing the experience despite some criticism of the narration's tone, which may come off as overly dramatic at times.

    • “+ smooth performance at any point”
    • “His performance adds a tremendous amount of depth and realism to the game.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its ability to entertain both players and viewers, particularly through the amusing reactions and frustrations of players, making it a great choice for Let's Play content.

    • “I can totally recommend this game for Let's Players as well, because you don't need to talk constantly, but it's funny to see or even hear a person raging.”
    • “The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever jokes and hilarious situations that keep you laughing throughout.”
    • “Every time I play, I find myself chuckling at the witty dialogue and absurd scenarios that unfold.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

66% average critic score

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