Inside on Apple TV employs the try-before-you-buy model, being free to download and play through the first section, after which an in-app-purchase can be made to unlock the full game. Interestingly, at the moment on the Australian PlayStation Store, Inside is $25.99, whereas the full game unlock on Apple TV is only $10.99. So for those who are interested and own both platforms, the choice seems clear.

Having completed the demo last night, I can say that it’s long enough to give a good taste of the gameplay and atmosphere, giving a glimpse into a beautifully stylised experience.

Clearly sharing the same DNA as Limbo, Inside also tasks players with guiding a boy through a menacing landscape, with a dreadful, threatening menace creeping from the screen and speakers.

Whereas Limbo is all black, white, and shades of grey, Inside is coloured, but in muted shades, using splashes of vibrance that result in emphasising the game’s darkness.

It’s clear playing through the demo that Inside shares not only its 2D platform genre with Limbo, but also its sinister nature. This is horror, pure and simple. Nightmare images depict truckloads of victims being secreted away by armed guards, piles of slaughtered pigs, emaciated prisoners, and no doubt worse to come.

Via Apple TV on a plus-size flatscreen, with surround sound and an otherwise darkened room, this is night-time gaming at its mysterious, intriguing best.

Inside works nicely with just the Siri Remote’s swipe controls, as the gameplay’s mechanics are a simple combination of left, right, jump, and interacting with objects, but for those with access to one, I’d still recommend the MFi controller option. It just always feels more natural, like a gamer’s first language.

Hopefully the quality of the free demo section is indicative of the overall experience, and Playdead are able to maintain the wonderful set up with enough variety through to the end.

What other surprises lie in wait for Apple TV gamers leading up to Christmas?