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Limbo Gameplay Video and Review
JudoChinX
July 24, 2010
It's that time again. The sun is shining, school is out, and the Xbox Live Summer of Arcade is underway. This is one of my favorite times during the year, because I know that some AAA titles are making their way to my living room. The first of the five games on this year's menu is Limbo, a unique and wonderful puzzle platformer in the same vein as Braid. I don't tend to gush over games, especially those that are somewhat obscure as Limbo is, but I can't help it; this game is fantastic, and is a must-have for anyone remotely interested in a satisfying and endearing experience unlike any other.
The first thing you'll notice about Limbo is the game's extremely unique art direction. The game, taking place in a 2D black and white world, is minimalistic, yet incredibly detailed. Your character, presumably a person in limbo, is a black silhouette, with the only exception being his white and inexpressive eyes. The environments are similar. Most everything in your plane is pitch black with details in the foreground and background being different shades of gray. It sounds bland, but Limbo is anything but. The animation is fluid and the landscape engrossing. Throughout the entire game I kept mentioning how impressive the game looked. To compliment the sparse (or complete lack of a color palette, a grain filter is run over the top to give a feeling of an old film. Finally, there's an effect that I can best describe as a flashlight pointing to the center of the screen. Everything in the middle of your field of vision is lighter and sharper than those on the edges. The game takes on a sinister feel as you progress from a forest, to abandoned mines, and through industrial environments. It's whimsical but dark. It's eerie and surreal.
As is the case with the game's graphics, the audio is also very meager. There's almost no music, and the characters in the game don't talk. Instead, you'll hear the little things in the game's world such as gentle footsteps, calming breezes, and creaking platforms.
Everything takes place in one long level. Though you can return to different chapters in the game, of which there are 25, you will never see the beginning or the end of a segment. It's all one connected and seamless journey that never dares to jolt you away from the experience with saving points, objectives, or really any narration at all. The game begins by watching your character awake on the ground of a forest. You're not told why he's there, or what he does, and he too seems uninformed. You're never told how to solve puzzles, where to go, or what to look for. You feel alone and confused, and the only thing to do from there is to move forward. And so your journey begins.
Limbo takes a lot of risks; risks that succeed in nearly every way. The game's puzzles are very creative, they don't repeat themselves, and though there's a great deal of trial and error the game is forgiving with its checkpoints and never sets you too far back at death. Expect to die many times. The game is undeniably abstract, and the story is certainly open to interpretation. These qualities allow for each gamer to have a somewhat unique experience to themselves. The game's world is a hostile one, with every creature and person you come across wanting your death. Even in its hostility, there's a sense of beauty and wonder. After playing in Limbo, you'll never want to leave.
The game is not long, weighing in at around 5 hours from start to finish. At 1200 Microsoft points ($15.00 real people dollars), Limbo is a bit more expensive than most Xbox Live Arcade games, but I promise you that it's worth the price of entry. This is a game that every gamer needs to play. Play it now. I can't stress that enough. To describe it in one word: tremendous.
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