Imagine a place where no color lives; vivid reds and somber blues all washed out by monochromatic monotony. Not only isn’t there any color in this world, every blade of grayed-out grass is a potential threat. The game Limbo sets players in that world, and while the effect is depressing – haunting even – it is gorgeous and captivating at the same time.
There are no princesses or grandiose storylines to be found here. Limbo is far more working class than fantastical lands full of majesty and splendor like cheerful adventures typically found in games. A young, faceless boy is on a journey to find his sister, and neither Heaven nor Hell is going to stand in the way. Limbo is a game imbued in cold, unwelcoming desolation that makes players feel isolated from anything comforting. The powerful imagery of silhouettes and a grayscale color palette give players the power of imagination when it comes to filling in the blanks of the story. The ambient sounds serve to crescendo the mood with an overwhelming use of soft white noise. It feels like it takes a page out of Alfred Hitchcock’s book where allowing imagination to run wild is a more potent tool than outright explaining every last detail. Because the story is so skeletal, each player is guaranteed a unique experience where it is up to the player to decide the motivation of this boy’s lonely journey.
However, Limbo isn’t a game with cares on character development. Limbo is actually a master class in the study of setting and place. With each advancing step, the world changes and takes far more sinister turns than initially conceivable. The scenery is visually arresting and unlike anything previously seen in video games, and the threats are integral parts to the sublime uniqueness of Limbo. This is because the puzzles that punctuate the unforgiving world increase in deadliness and complexity and it empirically shows. Enemies and traps are an inseparable part of the setting Limbo makes players focus on the center third of the screen, with the sides acting as a frame for the main action and the effect keeps the feeling of loneliness strongly intact. As obstacles come into frame, the magnitude of the situation also sharpens.
The puzzles all call for elegant solutions, which is highlighted by the two button control scheme. There is also a shocking amount of diversity in how to solve puzzles. However, there is an over reliance on what I call the “brain slug.” It is essentially a device to keep players moving without time to pause. The first few times it kept me on my toes, but the “brain slugs” wore out their welcome after seeing more of what was offered. Also, while on the same subject of negatives of Limbo, the difficulty is inconsistent in terms of how the puzzles are solved. Part of it has to do with Limbo featuring a less desirable aspect of point-and-click adventure games like learning through trial-and-error. As much as that might sound damning to the game, it is a blip on the radar only.
All the artistic elements and form of gameplay, Limbo begs the question of what type of game it is. The simple answer is that this is a platforming game. However, there are shades of adventure textured with puzzle elements that make up challenging moments. The artistry surrounding climbing platforms really makes classifying Limbo a hard thing to do. Not because it can’t be done, it is just finding a nice description seems to cheapen the originality flowing from every darkened corner.
The Rundown
Limbo is all about the experience of living in a harsh land full of impossible and deadly beauty. There have been cries for fresh games with perspectives not yet explored. Limbo should answer those calls with a melancholy tone that will resonate with the gamers who will appreciate game that not only on a gameplay level, but as an artistic masterpiece exploring emotions hard to get across a digital entertainment media. Limbo is a triumphant Xbox Live Arcade game that hits all the right emotional notes that make this a captivating game throughout.
