If the character dies, the game continues from the most recent checkpoint. As in the predecessor game Limbo, these deaths are presented realistically and are often graphic, but to a larger degree, earning the ESRB's Mature rating as opposed to Limbo's Teen rating. The boy can die in various ways, such as being shot with a tranquilizer dart, mauled by dogs, ensnared by security machines, blown apart by shockwaves, or drowned. If all the orbs are deactivated during a playthrough, the player unlocks the game's alternate ending. At various points in the game, the player may discover hidden rooms containing glowing orbs. The boy gains the ability to control bodies to complete certain puzzles, a mechanic that IGN 's Marty Sliva compared to a similar mechanic in The Swapper. The player controls the boy who walks, runs, swims, climbs, and uses objects to overcome obstacles and progress in the game.

The game is also mostly silent, with the exception of occasional musical cues, the boy's vocals, dogs barking, equipment and sound effects. The game is dark, with color used sparingly to highlight both the player and certain parts of the environment. The player character is an unnamed boy who explores a surreal and mostly monochromatic environment presented as a 2.5D platform game. Much like Limbo, Inside went on to be considered one of the greatest video games of all time. The game was nominated for numerous accolades, including game of the year, and won several independent and technical achievements. Critics noted it as an improvement over Limbo, praising its art direction, atmosphere and gameplay, but criticizing aspects of its difficulty. Inside premiered at Microsoft's E3 2014 conference, with a planned release in 2015, but was delayed to 2016. The game was partially funded by a grant from the Danish Film Institute. The team switched to Unity to simplify development, adding their own rendering routines, later released as open source, to create a signature look. Playdead began work on Inside shortly after the release of Limbo, using Limbo 's custom game engine. It is the successor to Playdead's 2010 game Limbo, and features similar 2.5D game-play. The player controls a boy in a dystopic world, solving environmental puzzles and avoiding death. A macOS version was released in June 2020. The game was released for iOS in December 2017 and Nintendo Switch in June 2018. Inside is a puzzle-platformer adventure game developed and published by Playdead in 2016 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows.

Limbo 2