Limbo

Reviewing a Nightmare

A cute child as the main character does not mean the game is child friendly because this is certainly not. Imagine an explorable nightmare where you're in complete control. Limbo can give a perfect example of that. It revolves around a boy in a lost world with nothing but shadows and creepiness who traverses almost aimlessly. I only had the chance to play the demo therefore I am a little unclear about the storyline, however, after a little research it seems he entered limbo to seek his missing younger sister. They both "died" and the boy - being half alive - sets off to find her as he denies her death. There are multiple theories on what the truth about the fate of the pair, but I'll let you decide which suits best.

This game is played on PS4, PS3 and Xbox to support its stunning graphics. There are without a doubt many great games released on these platforms, however, Limbo is a must have - or at least get the demo to get a taste of the dark world. Watch the trailer and clips of gameplay and i assure you will want to give it a go. Limbo is created by Playdead who has a knack for games with themes such as Limbo.

This game is dark - every living being tries to kill you and the only humans - if you can call them that - are either hung by a noose or are trying to kill you. Despite many living creatures present, it's a bit of a lonely game to be very honest. Every step brings discomfort which at times forces you to step out of the world of Limbo to take a breather.

Limbo is by far one of the darkest games I've played - the title itself suggests a lot more than the surface. Limbo is a derivative of Limbus which is the latin term for edge. This boy wakes up at the edge of the afterlife not sure if he or his sister is alive. It takes you through a terrifying and confusing journey which is worth every minute of your time.

First comment I must make is about the graphics. Absolutely stunning. Simply breathtaking and differs from other game art. I love the idea of a light, out of focus background paired with a dark and sharp foreground - it really gave a sense of mood and minimalism. The monochromatic theme also promotes the sinister atmosphere. The lack of textures and fine details forces the character to focus more on the setting, mood and story which is what all Limbo is about. It's fantastic how much can be conveyed through shadowed figures.

There's no music. There is almost nothing but silence give or take some fitting sound effects depending on the area you're in and a couple of beats especially in the more industrial areas. Even though music is a major contribute to mood, silence in this game is actually much more appropriate. The silence makes tension and jumpscares much more effective, and these jumpscares serve as another form of an obstacle as they shock and confuse you forcing players to take a moment to get their bearings. By the time they've realized what's going on, you're already beat to pulp or shredded to pieces. Sounds absolutely gory doesn't it - that's part of the brilliance of the game.

The controls were relatively simple - forward, backward, jump - the usual. There were no left of right however due to it being a 2D platform game. Despite the popularity of 3D games at this day and age, Limbo was surprisingly successful with it not following the modern trend of games. Controls are smooth, no hiccups or glitches - in the demo anyway. And its sensitivity is a good level of sensitivity which allows players to reach the end of cliffs with control, so you don't accidentally slip off because you took too big a step. Only downfall is the jump control - the boy you control doesn't jump far or high enough sometimes which forces you to take a fair number of tries until you get up or across a ledge. This provides difficulty but can also prove frustration.

There are no such things as weapons in this game - you must learn to use what's available in your environment - blocks, ropes, dead bodies - you name it. As the game progresses, new obstacles and enemies arise adding difficulty to balance your honed skills to keep you hooked into the game.

You know how some games are too jam packed with action then have breaks which are too long and boring? Limbo isn't like that, things are nicely spaced - a good break of flat ground after a stressful series of jumping over chainsaws is definitely required. Stress is definitely a factor in this game that can drive you crazy.

The puzzles in this game no doubt prove a challenge - it takes more than a couple of tries to get past each stage. And sometimes impatient players - like myself - need to look up walkthroughs for help. The variety of puzzles amaze me, every section has something different - nothing is a repeat. Patterns are added slowly enough for players to get used to each element so puzzles aren't impossible to solve.

There are a lot of jaw dropping or eye widening moments in this game. No point in me describing it to you, play the game - or at least be like me and play the demo to experience this beautiful nightmare.