Game review - Limbo
[Playdead]
Developer: Playdead
Publisher: Playdead
Genre: Puzzle, 2D platform
Original release date: 21 July 2010
Platform(s): PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Reviewed on: macOS
Limbo is a rather unique species of the classic 2D platform genre. Presentation-wise and gameplay-wise, indie developer Playdead and director Arnt Jensen have created a highly-immersive experience thanks to it’s dark yet artistically-pleasing world building, and clever implementation of puzzles, even if it does come with a few minor drawbacks.
You play as a nameless boy, who has awaken in the middle of a mysterious forest, and now has to find his missing younger sister. While this premise is simple with no backstory, Limbo is more about the immersive experience rather than a cohesive narrative. As you traverse through the dark forest, you will encounter traps, ditches, giant spiders, and mysterious humanoids, all of which could put your character in danger, and the game world gets intriguing as you progress further.
What really makes the game stand out it’s audio and visual presentation. Sure the lack of any colours may make it seem bland on paper, but the black-and-white style works masterfully to it’s advantage. It creates a sense of mystery and dread, and the use of lighting and film grain helps to enhance it’s intriguing forest environment. Which the soundtrack is nearly non-existent save for occasional ambient instrumentals, the clever use ambient noises that surround the forest help compensate the lack of music.
[Playdead]
The use of platforming and puzzle-solving is another aspect that makes Limbo stands out from other platform games. For one thing, your controls are limited to moving, jumping, and an action button, so theres no way to attack enemies. This is where the physics puzzle-solving area comes in. Some puzzles should be obvious to the eyes, while others do require you to think outside the box in order to progress. To avoid instant death, puzzle-solving is your life-saver when it comes to the enemies and obstacles.
Performance-wise, Limbo performed smoothly on my Intel HD Graphics 4000 with little lag, but the lack of any graphic and display options is be a bit of a disappointment. Even though the game’s default resolution gets set to your computer’s current resolution, customisable options would have been nice. The one bothersome thing is that switching applications on OS X causes the game to crash, so multitasking while playing is not ideal.
In short, Limbo ticks all the right boxes to create one impressive package, and it succeeds. It’s engaging visual style, creepy atmosphere, and unique platform elements make this a fine example of interactive art. The short length and current price does make the purchase questionable, but whether you buy it on special or not, the experience Limbo offers will leave you very satisfied.
