Look Inside

About

Look Inside is a single player action game. It was developed by Unexpected and was released on January 22, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Look Inside is a 2.5D narrative game based on the palpable interactions that the player makes in a book summarizing in images and texts the life of a French family at different times and periods of their members' lives.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 124 reviews

story17 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

The game features beautiful artwork and a calming soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
It offers a unique narrative-driven gameplay that allows players to explore family history through interactive puzzles.
Many players found the puzzles engaging and enjoyed the cozy atmosphere, making it a relaxing experience.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, which can disrupt gameplay and require restarts.
Puzzles can be unintuitive and directionless, leading to frustration as players often have to click randomly to progress.
The family tree mechanics and narrative structure can be confusing, making it difficult for players to follow the story and complete objectives.

story
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
56%
7%
The game's story is a heartfelt exploration of family history, presented through a blend of interactive puzzles and emotive narration, which allows players to uncover personal struggles and joys across generations. While the art and music enhance the immersive experience, some players found the non-linear storytelling and lack of clear guidance confusing, making it difficult to fully engage with the narrative. Overall, the game offers a cozy and charming experience, though its brevity and occasional bugs may detract from the overall impact of the story.
- “Released on January 22, 2020, the game offers a unique blend of storytelling and interactive puzzles, allowing players to explore personal histories and uncover family secrets.”
- “Despite its brevity, the game leaves a lasting impression and is a testament to the power of interactive storytelling.”
- “The story of several generations of one family unfolding in front of us is literally filled with real warmth and sensuality inherent in really good things.”
- “Furthermore, I found it hard to follow the genealogy tree through the story as the narration was non-linear and there was no way to keep track of where and when the portraits and names were discovered to refer back to.”
- “While it's a pleasant enough idea, the puzzles are a bit obtuse and I didn't really care about the characters or the story itself.”
- “The game mostly just hints at a plot rather than provide one.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
35%
11%
The graphics of "Look Inside" are widely praised for their minimalist yet expressive hand-drawn art style, which evokes warmth and nostalgia. Reviewers appreciate the vibrant, semi-cartoony visuals that create a cozy atmosphere, complemented by beautiful sound design and engaging storytelling. Despite some technical issues, the overall aesthetic and artistic quality contribute significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The art style of Look Inside is minimalist yet expressive, with hand-drawn illustrations that convey warmth and nostalgia.”
- “The artwork is gorgeous, the music is calming, and the story is interesting even though there isn't much to it.”
- “The visuals and music are also lovely.”
- “I really wanted to like this game because I love the art style.”
- “I really like the concept and art style of this, but unfortunately it is just too buggy to be any fun.”
- “Charming concept and graphics but this is sadly a miss in my eyes.”
music
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
38%
14%
The game's music is consistently praised for its subtlety and evocative quality, enhancing the overall narrative experience without being distracting. Reviewers highlight the calming and atmospheric soundtrack, which complements the art style and storytelling, creating an immersive environment. Overall, the music is described as soothing and fitting, contributing significantly to the game's charm and emotional depth.
- “Musically, the game features a subtle and evocative soundtrack that complements its tone.”
- “The artwork is gorgeous, the music is calming, and the story is interesting even though there isn't much to it.”
- “The music is unobtrusive, allowing players to immerse themselves in the narrative without distraction.”
- “You research a family history while listening to atmospheric music.”
- “The music is calming, there is no rush, just a pleasant leafing through items and following the path they lead you down.”
gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
58%
18%
The gameplay focuses on exploration and emotional connection through a scrapbook narrative, featuring puzzles that prioritize observation and empathy over traditional mechanics. While the experience is engaging and beautifully presented, it is relatively short (2-3 hours) and may frustrate some players due to a lack of hints, non-impactful actions, and occasional bugs. Overall, it is best enjoyed as an interactive storybook rather than a conventional game, with a mix of enjoyable puzzles and a charming art style.
- “The gameplay centers around Manon, who discovers a scrapbook in her attic that chronicles the lives of her ancestors.”
- “The puzzles are not traditional in the sense of complex mechanics but are more about observation and empathy, encouraging players to connect emotionally with the artifacts and the stories they tell.”
- “Its got some really neat puzzles in there and mechanics that continue to be surprising and enjoyable.”
- “Some players may find the lack of traditional gameplay elements such as combat or complex puzzles limiting.”
- “But the gameplay is a lot of clicking around seeing what does what.”
- “Half of the stuff is interactable, but it does nothing, and you are not sure if it is just an animation or a real game mechanic that pushes the whole thing forward.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with numerous users reporting frequent glitches, random freezes, and non-clickable elements that hinder progress. While some players appreciate the concept and art style, the pervasive bugs significantly detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration and the need to restart the game multiple times.
- “Pretty buggy, and the story and information made some very big leaps.”
- “The biggest problem I have is that the game is buggy and randomly freezes when you're trying to do something.”
- “Game was hella buggy for me (sometimes I suddenly can't click stuff, not getting new portraits notifications) and when I got to the computer chapter I can't even progress anymore as the part of the screen that is supposed to show the computer is showing nothing but a black void.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its focus on observation and empathy, allowing players to connect deeply with the stories behind the artifacts. Enhanced by immersive sound design, the experience is described as heartfelt and engaging, though relatively short, lasting around two to three hours. Overall, it offers a relaxing and meditative journey that is both intellectually and emotionally stimulating.
- “The puzzles are not traditional in the sense of complex mechanics but are more about observation and empathy, encouraging players to connect emotionally with the artifacts and the stories they tell.”
- “The sound design also plays a crucial role in enhancing the emotional depth of the experience, with ambient sounds that bring the scrapbook to life.”
- “This game is relaxing at the same time, a bit meditative and intellectually, emotionally stimulating, but without any strong points of pressure.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The atmosphere of "Look Inside" is characterized by a soft and earthy color palette that creates an intimate and playful environment. Players appreciate the blend of engaging narrative and atmospheric music, which enhances the experience of uncovering family history, although some interactions may blur the lines between puzzles and ambiance. Overall, the game invites a relaxed and thoughtful exploration.
- “The color palette is soft and earthy, enhancing the intimate atmosphere of the game.”
- “If you're looking for a gentle narrative that allows you to uncover things in a clever and thought-provoking manner while maintaining a playful atmosphere, then brew yourself a nice cup of coffee or tea and relax with 'Look Inside'.”
- “You research a family history while listening to atmospheric music.”
- “It was fun to interact with the scenes, but it was hard to tell which interactions were part of puzzles and which were just to build atmosphere.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers strong replayability due to its balanced difficulty, which keeps players engaged without causing frustration. Its beautiful artwork and charming story further enhance the experience, making players eager to revisit it.
- “Re-playable, easy enough so as not to get frustrated, hard enough so it's not boring, beautiful artwork, adorable story.”