Limbo

Limbo, developed by Playdead, quickly became a best-selling indie hit when originally released in 2010. This sidescrolling platformer has a lot of personality, despite its grim tone. Featuring a black and white art style, gruesome death scenes, and a foreboding atmosphere, players were enamored with the artistic adventure. Like many great indie games, Limbo is drenched with style and produces a unique and somber vibe. While its controls are easy enough to learn, the puzzles within the adventure can be deceptively deadly. Luckily, the journey ends up being well worth it, as Limbo is one of the most satisfying indie adventures of the generation.

Main Features

• Dialogue-free story
• Unique monochromatic art style
• Hidden collectibles

Story

In Limbo you play as an unnamed young boy, walking through a mysterious forest in the dead of night. Since the game contains no dialogue, a lot of the narrative is told through environmental storytelling. During his adventure, the young boy encounters various supernatural and fantasy obstacles, including a giant spider, otherworldly worms, and more. The forest is a dark and dangerous place, but you'll have to endure its many pitfalls if you want to rescue the boy's sister.

Gameplay

Gameplay in Limbo is almost as straightforward as its story, with minimal practice needed to master the controls. Players can run and jump, climb up ledges and ropes, as well as descend ladders and manipulate some objects. Like many other platformer games, you'll advance to the right of the screen, dodging obstacles and solving light puzzles along the way. The boy has no weapons or offensive abilities to speak of, so any enemies or dangers must be avoided instead of eliminated.

If you're not careful, it's easy to fall into a trap and perish. Limbo is particularly dark with its death scenes, although dying doesn't set you back very far. There are no game overs or significant losses upon death, although you'll likely have to restart any puzzle you're attempting if you die. Despite the relatively simplistic controls, Limbo contains some creative and challenging puzzles that are sure to test your wit. Certain elements force you to only move in one direction, while various gravity and physics puzzles require you to think in new ways. Between the tough puzzles and deadly traps, Limbo can be a difficult game at times, but is often very satisfying when you finally finish a frustrating section.

Conclusion

Quiet, morbid, and moody, Limbo is the exact opposite of most big-budget blockbuster games. This simple indie title is remarkably well-designed and poignant, with both satisfying gameplay and an interesting story. There are a variety of hidden easter eggs to discover, which add some replayability, but the experience is pretty brief. Apart from this small grievance, Limbo is a mostly effective and memorable adventure. While it might not be for everyone, most players should find Limbo to be an evocative and unique journey through the woods.

Pros

• Puzzles force you to stop and think
• Simple controls and easy-to-learn gameplay
• Very unique experience unlike other games

Cons

• Platforming and puzzles can be very tough
• Too short
• Story might be too vague for some