Play with shadows in your imaginative ways to solve twisted puzzles as you unfold the memories of a girl who struggles to confront herself in her past. Not a game for the clouded-minded people!

In My Shadow

I love it when games try something new, and it’s primarily puzzle games that walk outside the given boundaries of what’s ‘normal’ in games. In My Shadow is no exception and provides us with a puzzle platformer in a world of shadows formed by the memories of a girl who finds herself struggling to accept her past. The game tells the story of Bella, a young woman who had a fallout with her family years ago and now doesn’t know how to respond to her father’s unexpected text message. Her childhood memories come to life as shadows on the wall of her house, and you must use those shadows to solve unique puzzles and help Bella try to let go of her past.

Development

The developer of In My Shadow commented that he made a convenient idea. And one that took quite a lot of research to get converted into a playable prototype. Since no other game has similar gameplay, it was extremely challenging to design a game out of this unique core mechanic without any reference. The whole setting reminded me a bit of the mechanics Little Nightmares use, to be honest. Finally, after numerous iterations on the game design, a ‘just good enough’ prototype was submitted to the India GDC 2018. Surprisingly, the game was not only shortlisted but eventually went all the way to win The Best Upcoming Game of the Year 2018! That was the first time the dev realized the brilliance of the concept as a mere prototype beat so many polished games in the event. After that, the game has undergone many extreme changes, both aesthetically and functionality-wise, to get to where it is now. And that pays off.

Shadows & Rooms

In My Shadow offers 50 levels, mainly played out on the four rooms of Bella’s house. Each room has its distinct mechanic, which keeps the puzzling refreshing. It takes quite a bit of brain work to solve the first few puzzles, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll breeze through the game in a session of relaxing brain exercise. In times like these, it’s good to address mental issues people can face, primarily through gaming. Gaming is often a way of escapism and a way to deal with ‘the past’ – so I applaud In My Shadow to use its mechanics to show how to work through crude childhood memories.

Conclusion

So to conclude, In My Shadow is a heart-felt puzzle game and a perfect fit on the Nintendo Switch. The controls work as they should, and the whole concept is refreshing as a whole. Everyone who likes puzzle games with a twist should check this one out – but like I said, maybe not those currently dealing with their clouds. Perhaps, it just needed… a bit more?

7.5/10

Tested on the Nintendo Switch.