Meow Palace: Forbidden City
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Meow Palace: Forbidden City
Game
Game2020
INMOST
Developer Hidden Layer Games
Inmost is a puzzle-platform game developed by Lithuanian developer Hidden Layer Games and published by Chucklefish. It was released for iOS through Apple Arcade on October 11, 2019, and later ported to macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, on August 21, 2020. The game follows a young girl, a knight, and an old man in search of answers. These characters are interconnected to each other in the story, which is set… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
258 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
84
LovedLoved
160 positive · 30 negative
95% range 78–89%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 160 | 30 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 18 | 3 | 33 |
| Lemmy * | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| Mastodon * | 2 | 1 | 2 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
2,131 of 2,445 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
84% recommend · 149 yes, 29 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 178 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (6,701 of 7,382 positive).
Players praise the emotional, bleak story that comes together at the end. [1][2][3] The pixel art and atmospheric music are widely admired. [4][5][6] Some find the gameplay simple or tedious, but the narrative is the highlight. [5][7][8]
Liked
Representative posts
- [7]
I really love the art style. The story is very good too. It's just the game part that's unbearable.
- [1]
Inmost is one of those games that are more an experience than a game per se. The game tells a bleak, dark story through 3 different points of view, and there's a lot more going on beneath the surface than it lets on initially. I really don't want to spoil anything, but it's great storytelling with phenomenal usage of metaphors. The game has a monochromatic style, where the most prominent color is blue, the most …
- [3]
Inmost is a bleak 2D puzzle platformer that delves into pain, grief, and loss through the perspective of three characters whose paths intertwine in a perplexing, corrupted wasteland that represents the horrors of the characters’ realities revealed at the end of the story. While vague and somewhat confusing, it all came together in the last few chapters. Inmost is a bleak game with a very solid pixelated artstyle …
- [10]
Fantastic story of grief. Well worth it. Brought me to tears (even when I went through a second time for my achievements) I have a few gripes as a completionist (tedious combat achievements, slow movement for finding collectible), but that's not what this game is about.
- [2]
Wow. I don't recall another game hitting me in the feels like this since To the Moon, and INMOST is far more of a game than that one is.
Summarised from 34 of the 242 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
INMOST sits at 84% positive across 190 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Inmost received "generally favorable" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic. Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 258 · most liked first2020 artwork I made after completing #INMOST This game got a tight grip on me back then and I had to express my impressions in the only way I knew
positive · AI labelView post →Don't buy this game. Not because of the gameplay, but because Chucklefish has refused to pay people who worked on their games before, hiring them as unpaid interns with promises of further employment and crediting, only to fire them and not give credit for their work. While I'm not entirely sure if that applies to this game, it's best to be safe. I'm past the refund point for this, so I'm stuck, but it's best to let everyone know.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played Inmost 🪦 🌹 It's a short and beautiful game with a very polished atmosphere and an intriguing story 🧸 I highly recommend it if you like puzzle platformers! #Inmost #HiddenLayerGames #PuzzlePlatformer #IndieGame #PixelArt @chucklefishltd.bsky.social
positive · AI labelView post →My plan to work on my backlog this fall has utterly failed. Instead I've not been playing any games at all for the past month and a half, instead just working on a mod for **STALKER Anomaly.** Consequently I *know* in my heart of hearts that the right thing to do is not spend any money this sale. However, I am still looking at: [Tails of Iron](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1283410/Tails_of_Iron) (-92%) [The Banner Saga](https://store.steampowered.com/app/237990/The_Banner_Saga) (-85%)…
neutral · AI labelView post →I really love the art style. The story is very good too. It's just the game part that's unbearable.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Inmost is one of those games that are more an experience than a game per se. The game tells a bleak, dark story through 3 different points of view, and there's a lot more going on beneath the surface than it lets on initially. I really don't want to spoil anything, but it's great storytelling with phenomenal usage of metaphors. The game has a monochromatic style, where the most prominent color is blue, the most depressing color that exists, so it fits perfectly with the beats the story is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the most impactful stories I’ve ever experienced. Inmost does have spooky, horror elements yet as the game progresses, a very heartfelt story unravels that pairs very well with the scarier events. Game: store.steampowered.com/app/938560/I... #indiegames #gaming #videogames
positive · AI labelView post →I played Inmost 🪦 🌹 It's a short and beautiful game with a very polished atmosphere and an intriguing story 🧸 I highly recommend it if you like puzzle platformers! #Inmost #HiddenLayerGames #PuzzlePlatformer #IndieGame #PixelArt
positive · AI labelView post →Wow. I don't recall another game hitting me in the feels like this since To the Moon, and INMOST is far more of a game than that one is.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Here's my #NintendoSwitch #indiegame highlight for today! 🎮👍🏼 Game - INMOST Developer - Hidden Layer Games Publisher - @chucklefishltd.bsky.social Release date - August 21, 2020
neutral · AI labelView post →INMOST left me thinking about the people we cannot reach, and those we still can. Not an easy game emotionally, but a meaningful one. Hear our conversation about it: 🍎: podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/t... 📺: youtu.be/NhtpkRAArLw?... @chucklefishltd.bsky.social #INMOST #IndieGames #narrativegames
positive · AI labelView post →INMOST is a surprisingly deep and emotional story. I heard people call it Silent Hill Lite :D Made by Lithuanian indie developers, this 5 hour long game is both visually beautiful and competently crafted. 1) The visuals, aesthetic and vibe are the main drawing point and do not disappoint. 2) Music is atmospheric and voice acting may be sparse but was used effectively. 3) The gameplay is divided between the 3 interconnected characters, the knight offers some light combat, the girl offers…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Millennial slop. Not even a game. It's a pixel art movie with tedious quick time events. Doesn't value player time. I regret buying it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is more about the story rather than gameplay - could be important for some players who want more gameplay, for me it was fine, but more important the quality of art/music is amazing most of the stuff is unique
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Short platformer puzzle game with the most scripted events and cutscene i've every seen in a pixel game. In my opinion, it should have been used sparingly, however they are very well made. The main character you play is very fragile and took some time getting used to, short falls can kill you. I didn't really care too much about the story initially, but it was intriguing as I progressed. 8/10.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[INMOST](https://store.steampowered.com/app/938560/Inmost/) I have been hit by open world fatigue in my **Rise of the Ronin** playthrough and so I needed an intermission. INMOST is on 70% sale and has been on my radar for a bit after being recommended to play it some time ago, so I finally got around to it. It's only a 5-6h game so it was perfect to sneak in, played through it in two sittings over two days. I really loved this game. Puzzle platformers are not my genre of choice but this one…
neutral · AI labelView post →This is the first game to make me cry this stuff means something to me man
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →after the game ended i started thinking about the message about pain, its got me thinking long and hard about the concept. but overall the game is fantastic 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →let me start with the good. visually this game is a feast for the senses. the overbearing gray tones and general darkness mesh with the more cartoonish character models in a way that sets this apart from a lot of similar fare more than i thought at a first glance. beyond this, the settings are at times stunning and i was happy to have explored and seen everything at least once. with that out of the way it leaves me with the almost universally rough experience of most of the rest, sadly.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A knight fights. A man searches. A girl tries to understand. INMOST changes more than the character you control. We discuss how those shifts shape our experience of the game: 🍎: podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/t... 📺: youtu.be/NhtpkRAArLw?... @chucklefishltd.bsky.social #INMOST #IndieGames
neutral · AI labelView post →Finished INMOST expecting a spooky game. Found a deeply moving story about grief, love, and connection. Not for everyone, given its difficult themes, but one of my most meaningful gaming experiences. Preparing for today’s recording. #INMOST #IndieGames #GameDiscussion #NarrativeGames #PixelArt
positive · AI labelView post →Graphics and soundtrack are absolutely beautiful. The story? Garbage. If I wanted to experience edge-lord level writing and tropes I would go and read wattpad fanfics. 4/5 for atmosphere 1/5 for story 1/5 gameplay
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🎮[ #goinglive ]🎮 [INMOST] I'm back. Back again. Totally planned stream. Nothing will be scuffed. At all. Let's discover a new (short) game, with grimdark vibes, toned-down colors, and amazing pixel art. twitch.tv/lapysaoneeris #ENVtuber #Vtuber #vtlive #INMOST #BackFromHiatus
neutral · AI labelView post →I had my doubts about this game right until the end, but it really comes together. The story, which seems disjointed and convoluted up to that point, comes together quite well, resolving in a memorable conclusion. The gameplay elements are fun at times, mostly in the more metroidvania-like sections, while other times can be rather slow. The music is pretty good, and the art is excellent - I was really impressed with how they were able to convey emotions with pixel art on several occasions.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Inmost is a bleak 2D puzzle platformer that delves into pain, grief, and loss through the perspective of three characters whose paths intertwine in a perplexing, corrupted wasteland that represents the horrors of the characters’ realities revealed at the end of the story. While vague and somewhat confusing, it all came together in the last few chapters. Inmost is a bleak game with a very solid pixelated artstyle that leans into blues and blacks to maintain its dour tone throughout. The sadness…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very neat game! The way it does non-linear storytelling while changing the gameplay in each section is pretty cool and the pixel art is gorgeous. It was a fun way of alternating storytelling, puzzles and combat without overloading the game. I'm not sure I got every detail of the story and the ending, but I did enjoy it. I do think it was kinda weird for a game that was purely gameplay most of the time to end with such a huge cutscene that felt like it could be gameplay too.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ended up playing INMOST, published by Chucklefish, and while it's a quick little game, it leaves a punch to your stomach as the story progresses, and ends with a really nice message to those that are struggling. It's currently 70% off on Steam.
positive · AI labelView post →A great pixel art horror game which tells a story which stays with you a long time after playing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am in the third and final major area of Ronin, after this is a return to the Edo area for the finale of the game as I understand it. I've played a *ton* of it but the game is *really* long, especially if you not only 100% the areas but also spend some time just fighting bosses for fun in the dojo. This last week I've played less of it though as I was hit a bit by open world fatigue, so I took a break and checked out the Out Fishing demo and played through…
neutral · AI labelView post →Great art and feeling, gloomy story with a lot of feels. Interesting level design. About 3.5 hours, so maybe on sale. However: Trigger warning: suicide, depression, childhood trauma.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →In my Inmost review I take a look at the mobile port of the puzzle-platformer, seeing if it’s worth your time on the small screen. Read the review - link below👇 #inmost #mobilegaming #puzzleplatformer #indiegames #gamereview #mobilegames www.pockettactics.com/inmost/mobil...
neutral · AI labelView post →This game is genuinely interesting! I wasn't sure if I would like it but I DO like pixel graphics and I do like slightly spooky games. There were a few jump scares here that got me haha. I love the different characters you can play as and the storylines. The actions are somewhat limited but its more of a puzzle platformer than anything. Definitely worth looking into!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Will be streaming Inmost in 15-30 !! Be there? <3 #VSky #Inmost #PixelGame #Platformer
neutral · AI labelView post →Stream time! It's spooky month and we got our spooky game, Inmost. I got it in a game bundle so I don't know much about it, but it looks cool and I don't have anything else so we're playing it www.twitch.tv/aria_azure
positive · AI labelView post →stare at the credits while processing everything type game. amazing all around
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I mean, I love atmosphere to be clear. Several of my favourite games stand on the foundation of atmosphere, like STALKER, Cyberpunk, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, Dishonored... Withering Rooms that I played recently was dripping with atmosphere, which is part of why I had trouble moving on from it. Limbo does have good atmosphere but... its atmosphere is kind of one-note, like yeah it's spooky shadows but that's all there is. It's neat, but it's not really wowed me to the extent that it…
neutral · AI labelView post →Not my typical genre, but I do like games that hit me in the feels and this one hit the mark. It was a bit hard for me to figure out what was going on sometimes, but it kept me interested in figuring it out and things are explained well at the end.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fantastic story of grief. Well worth it. Brought me to tears (even when I went through a second time for my achievements) I have a few gripes as a completionist (tedious combat achievements, slow movement for finding collectible), but that's not what this game is about.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is exceptional for its atmosphere, its handmade pixel graphics and its story, i totally recommended it! Developer of Perception: Heart and Mind.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Interesting story, worth the time spent
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Edgy, cringe, boring, ass.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →10/10 Hit too hard and Cried too much in the end.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The gameplay/puzzles are all very simple but the story will absolutely blow you away. I may have cried a little at the end there. :')
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game 87- Inmost Another short game really you play for the art, music, and story. Not my cup of tea but if you like games like Gris you should check it out
negative · AI labelView post →Inmost, developed by Hidden Layer Games and published by Chucklefish, is a puzzle-platformer that stands out not through complex mechanics or sheer length, but through its atmosphere, emotional storytelling, and haunting presentation. It tells the intertwined stories of three different characters—a weary man navigating a ruined world, a small girl living in the confines of her home, and a knight who faces darkness with sword and grappling hook in hand. At first, their paths feel separate, but…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Beautiful pixel art, particularly the color and animation work. Some of the puzzles and sequences were satisfying. But I cannot recommend this game for a few big reasons. The gameplay isn't very fun, and the ending is a half hour cutscene that slowly explains the utter tragedy of the game's story. Before that you have no idea what's going on. The English voice work is quite bad. And I just can't get behind this level of child endangerment. As a father, it was everything I could do to finish…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An abstract, story-based adventure platformer where you explore a bleak, desolate area infested with goopy shadow monsters. During the adventure, vignettes of the stories of other characters will play out. They seem disconnected at first, but by the end of the game all the stories come together in a satisfying way. The game looks and feels a lot like if LIMBO was a pixel art game, though with the added layer of collecting tools along the way that allow you to loop back around and open new…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Inmost review has been posted to my Rank One !! Check it out here: www.rankone.global/wisteriasoda (I've tried to put this everywhere but look up the content warnings before playing!) #Inmost #GameReview
neutral · AI labelView post →if you missed my stream covering indie games it's now up on my second channel youtu.be/uWqtcRuFTXw as we played through some upcoming demos, looked at Protocorgi and Inmost, and more, and if you want me to cover your game, please reach out #indiegamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →🔴 Playing a game suggested from the community, Inmost! I don't know anything about this game, let's go! www.twitch.tv/kazuhaamanog...
neutral · AI labelView post →Heyo! Late night last minute stream! Checking out Inmost, a pixel game that seems interesting. Come hang out! twitch.tv/arahlih #ENVtuber #VtuberEN #VTuberUprising #twitchaffiliate #twitchstreamer #streamer
neutral · AI labelView post →I’ll leave it at that until I get further in or finish the game but tl;dr pretty impressed with INMOST so far
positive · AI labelView post →Aw yay Inmost! Always good to see some love for that game :D
positive · AI labelView post →Moderator Mento's latest "Indie Game of the Week" blog on Giant Bomb checked out Inmost by Lithuanian studio Hidden Layer Games! Read about why they think this 2D pixel art puzzle-platformer has more than a heaping pinch of Eric Chahi in it. User Blog: www.giantbomb.com/profile/ment...
neutral · AI labelView post →Inmost. Short platformer/metroivania with a story that will crush your soul. Gameplay is good, art is great, and the story is phenomenal!!! https://inmostwiki.com/INMOST_Wiki
positive · AI labelView post →Amazing game. Huge trigger warning if you are dealing with or are dealing with someone that has a mental illness. It hit hard for me, but that is what I loved that about this game. I do hope they drop a second one covering a different another illness.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You might love this game. I did not. I think the mechanics are fine, and it has unique and interesting aesthetics. I just didn't really like the story. Depending on where you are in life and where you sit philosophically with the issues in the game it might hit different for you. It's heavy, and heavy handed.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →When I was climbing a mountain in China I thought I was lost but then I saw a wise man and asked where am I and he said "You're at INMOST" and then I understand than I'm at PEAK
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →INMOST is a Cinematic 2D Puzzle Platformer where you play as 3 different characters each telling their own story, the old bearded man, the knight and the girl. You seek out the truth by solving puzzles and progressing the story. The game offers chapters of gameplay each with their designated story and puzzles / enemy battling (knight story only) where you progress by collecting the required items to open doors, activated mechanisms required to progress further in each chapter. The pixel art…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Excellent game. Loved the artstyle and Original Sound Track but first and foremost the STUNNING animations that are literally everywhere in the game, could never get enough of them. To be honest I was quite lost in the story/plot, the blend of povs constantly swapping was a great idea to convey the message however what made me really full understand the underlying message was the ending animation that allowed the entire story to unfold before my eyes. The message the developpers tried to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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