In The Shadows

About

In The Shadows is a single player casual puzzle game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Colorspace Studio and was released on October 20, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

"In The Shadows" is a puzzle-platformer game set in a vibrant fantasy world, where shadows come to life. Use different light sources to transform monsters into objects and solve challenging puzzles. Discover four unique worlds, uncover hidden levels and secrets, and experience a touching story about fears and comfort. The game features real-time lighting, beautiful music, and many monsters, each with their own mechanics.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 24 reviews

story9 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game features charming art and a beautiful soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.
Puzzles are enjoyable and thought-provoking, with a good mix of challenge and accessibility.
The game offers a unique light and shadow mechanic that adds depth to the gameplay and storytelling.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences.
Controls can feel clunky and imprecise, making some puzzles more tedious than enjoyable.
Lack of visual accessibility options makes the game unplayable for those with low contrast sensitivity.

story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
40%
15%
The game's story is described as beautiful and touching, enhancing the overall experience, especially when players engage deeply with it. While some found the narrative captivating and emotionally resonant, others felt it lacked depth and clarity, detracting from the gameplay. Overall, the story complements the puzzles and atmosphere, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of interactive storytelling and puzzle-platformers.
- “It’s a really beautiful little story that you don’t have to delve into but will encounter a much more meaningful experience if you do.”
- “The story was captivating and brought the game to a close with a very emotional ending.”
- “Overall, it was a relaxing and fun experience with a touching story tucked into it as well.”
- “The game leaves you to search for the meaning of the story yourself.”
- “There also seemed to be a story somewhere in the game, but it was impossible to figure out and overall distracted from the game more than it added to it.”
- “It's not exactly what you would call 'story driven'.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The gameplay is characterized by innovative light and shadow mechanics that introduce unique puzzle-solving elements, though players note issues with inexact controls and tedious level design. While the game offers thought-provoking challenges and a variety of mechanics that evolve throughout, it suffers from a lack of polish and frustrating glitches that can detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the core concepts and originality of the puzzles are appreciated, making it a compelling, albeit flawed, puzzle game.
- “A lovely, fairly short game with thought-provoking mechanics and a sentiment that will stick with me.”
- “A cool pixel-puzzler with light/shadow mechanics at its core.”
- “The mechanics, while fairly simple, introduce new ways of solving and thinking about puzzles, all of which reinforce the key themes of the game: light/dark and the passage of time.”
- “Inexact controls, timing puzzles, mechanics popping up and disappearing...”
- “But the mechanics and level design are a bit tedious at times; even if the solution is fairly obvious, it takes a bit too long to actually execute.”
- “Now, this is a puzzle game, so the game is supposed to be somewhat difficult, but sometimes the mechanics would screw you over, pushing boxes where they weren't supposed to go, forcing you to backtrack several minutes to get to where you wanted to be again.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
11%
11%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and atmospheric quality, featuring a retro, synthesizer-driven sound that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight its ability to create a relaxing ambiance and effectively immerse players in the game world, making it a standout aspect alongside the visuals and storytelling. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant contributor to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The music is surprisingly beautiful for such a short game; it’s got a Fez-like, retro feel to its sound with synthesizers and jump noises.”
- “The atmosphere and soundtrack were incredible, and the visuals tied it all together beautifully.”
- “Clearly a lot of time and effort was put into the visual aesthetic and soundtrack, and it makes for a very atmospheric experience.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beauty and atmospheric quality, contributing significantly to the overall experience. However, some players noted accessibility issues due to a lack of visual adjustment options, which can hinder gameplay for those with low contrast sensitivity. While the artwork is appreciated, there are mentions of bugs and a reliance on outdated indie game aesthetics.
- “I had a lot of fun playing this title! The puzzles were enjoyable, the graphics beautiful, and the story was touching.”
- “The atmosphere and soundtrack were incredible, and the visuals tied it all together beautifully.”
- “Clearly a lot of time and effort was put into the visual aesthetic and soundtrack, making for a very atmospheric experience.”
- “I was disappointed to find that the game is virtually unplayable if you have issues seeing low contrast images, because there is no way to adjust the visuals.”
- “It does suffer from a few bugs and the typical tired clichés of 2015-era indie games (forced emotionalism, needless 8-bit-style graphics).”
- “The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games, making the overall experience less immersive.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its incredible soundtrack and beautiful visuals, creating an immersive experience. However, numerous game-breaking bugs can detract from this atmosphere, making it challenging for some players to fully engage. Overall, while the story content is minimal, the atmospheric elements effectively enhance the gameplay experience.
- “The atmosphere and soundtrack were incredible, and the visuals tied it all together beautifully.”
- “Clearly a lot of time and effort was put into the visual aesthetic and soundtrack, and it makes for a very atmospheric experience.”
- “Story-wise, there isn't necessarily a ton of content there; however, the atmosphere the minor amount of story builds up is perfect for what the game offers.”
- “That's too many bugs, most of which were game-breaking or forced me out of the atmosphere, or both.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its touching and captivating story, which culminates in a very emotional ending, providing a relaxing yet engaging experience. However, some players note the presence of forced emotionalism and clichés typical of indie games from 2015, which may detract from the overall impact. Despite these criticisms, the emotional aspect remains a highlight for many players.
- “I had a lot of fun playing this title! The puzzles were enjoyable, the graphics beautiful, and the story was touching.”
- “Overall, it was a relaxing and fun experience with a touching story tucked into it as well.”
- “The story was captivating and brought the game to a close with a very emotional ending.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marred by unresponsive controls, particularly with jumping, and frequent glitches that necessitate level restarts. Players report recurring issues with respawn points and other minor bugs, leading to a frustrating experience despite the potential of its mechanics.
- “The controls are less responsive than ideal (mainly the jumping). There were some glitches where I had to restart the level as my character no longer jumped. The respawn points were often off, leaving you in an area that forced a level restart, plus a few other minor bugs.”
- “During my playthrough of this game, I encountered the same glitches over and over again.”
- “The game is a great proof of concept, and there's a good game within the mechanics, but the level design and glitches make it more frustrating than it is a good game.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, as the mechanics and level design can prolong the execution of otherwise obvious solutions.
- “The mechanics and level design are a bit tedious at times; even if the solution is fairly obvious, it takes too long to actually execute.”
- “Grinding feels like a never-ending chore, making the game more of a slog than an enjoyable experience.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, turning what could be exciting gameplay into a monotonous task.”