Inspired by the works of psychologist Carl Jung and the filmography of Stanley Kubrick, The Inner Friend is a psychological horror adventure game that delves into the subconscious for its plot and gameplay, focusing on gruesome beings who are created from deep seated mental anguish that you must flee or face to become whole. The narrative has zero dialogue and no text either, but it will speak volumes to most of us anyways, playing heavily on childhood fears, complex emotional themes and the psychology surrounding coping mechanisms used to overcome traumatic experiences early in life. Basically, if you've been putting off getting a shrink, you could just pony up the dough for The Inner Friend and see what mentally shakes loose first. Or maybe that's a terrible idea...
Led by a mysterious Shadow, you'll control the player character, facing fears and nightmares inside a subconscious universe. You'll relive the Shadow’s childhood memories and overcome them in the hopes that it's still possible to restore what was once a safe haven for your mind. You'll journey through the subconscious to unravel the wordless story and encounter malevolent beings that you'll have to dodge and evade if you want to survive, but you'll need to inevitably face if you ever want to move forward.
The organizers of GDC 2019 have just announced that The InnerFriend is joining seven other independent games in winning the best in play award. The Inner Friend is available on PC now, and will be coming soon to PS4 and Xbox One.
