LIMBO Review

LIMBO. It’s a title that’s had quite a lot of attention since it was first revealed by independent Danish developer, PlayDead Studios. Kicking off the 2010 Summer of Arcade, LIMBO is finally available, and many of you are asking, “What kind of experience will I get with LIMBO?”  Keep reading to see what we thought of the game.

[nggtags gallery=limboreview1]

LIMBO is a puzzle-platform title presented in a 2D side-scrolling fashion. It features various physics-based puzzles that you must solve to progress through the adventure. The game is broken into 24 chapters and it features seamless gameplay with no loading time When you die, which will happen often on your first run through the game, the screen very briefly fades to black and you’re back to try again almost instantaneously. You’ll never have to worry about redoing 10 minutes of puzzles because of an unexpected death because the auto-save system basically saves after every puzzle.

Gameplay in LIMBO is very heavily puzzle-oriented with platform aspects added to the mix.  The player can run, jump, and push/pull/climb items found in the environment – and while that may make it sound easy, the game actually holds quite a challenge. Puzzles are designed in a way that you can typically see your goal, but the challenge lies in figuring out how to obtain it, and you sometimes need to look at the obvious, and focus on the level designs in each chapter. As the game features many different mechanics including gravity, precise timing, and magnetic fields, each puzzle feels original, although in truth they often use the same basic concept. For example, you may need to switch gravitational force to access a block, and get that block to a specific point to use as a stepping stone. As the change in gravity is only temporary, it might be smart to do the switch portion multiple times to ensure your safety.

Some portions of the game can be chalked up to trial and error gameplay, and some may call it cheap. But, careful inspection of the environment around you as well as quick reflexes will get you through most situations, and you won’t feel “cheated”. Admittedly, there are moments where you won’t know what to expect, and you can call it “cheap”, or you can laugh it off and remember it for next time. Part of the fun is memorizing the puzzles, and then attempting to complete the game with as little deaths as possible, less than five deaths will earn you an achievement if you complete the game in one sitting. Also, when you ponder a puzzle for 20 minutes and figure out the solution, don’t feel too bad when you say to yourself, “Wow, I’m an idiot for not seeing that.”

[nggtags gallery=limboreview2]

Aside from the heavy puzzle-solving aspect in LIMBO, you’ll also encounter some enemies, usually coinciding with the environmental hazards. The trick lies in the fact that your character cannot physically attack anyone, adding yet another puzzle aspect to the game. For the very limited enemy encounters, you’re going to have to use the environment to defeat them. This requires a slight backtracking element that you’ll become familiar with.  As you progress in the game, you’ll get stuck, with seemingly no way to progress. Take that as a hint, and backtrack – you’ll often find a ledge or maybe a rope. If you come across one crate for example, and it appears that you need two to progress, this is LIMBOs’ way of telling you it’s time to go back and look around carefully. While backtracking tends to be frowned up, LIMBO uses it in a way that it’s not really tedious or excessive, and you won’t mind doing it. At the most, you might walk backwards for a whole minute, unless of course you’re the exploratory type who searches everywhere possible before moving on.

Puzzles will become more complex as you move later into the game, but they keep you entertained, and some of the puzzles will bend your mind as you attempt to solve them. Your first run through LIMBO will likely last approximately 6 hours, of which you’ll spend over half of it just staring at a simplistic level design with no idea how to move further ahead. Once you’ve beaten the game, you can get through in approximately 2.5 hours. Achievement-lovers, if not using a guide, will have fun with this list of tasks. Most of the achievements are rather cryptic, and they don’t give you a specific task. Xbox.com images on your achievement list will help to locate them, but they only help to point you in the right direction, or in one case, the wrong way.

[nggtags gallery=limboreview3]

Presentation is what LIMBO is all about. You play the role of a boy, and you’re trying to find your sister. It’s very basic, and there is no backstory, though you can make one of your own if you’d like. It’s a game that feels like it could take place in your imagination. The game takes place in a portion of hell called Limbo, and the game is created completely in black and white tones using different shades to create an image of depth in the world. Truly, LIMBO is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, and this style appears to work very well, at least within the given genre.

You won’t hear any background music while playing LIMBO, but you will hear fantastic sound effects for wind, running water, and much more. Add in a few dark undertones at specific points, and you really feel like you’re in the world of Limbo yourself. Due to the very light yet effective soundtrack, your experience in LIMBO feels quite serene at times.

LIMBO is a fantastic title to kick off the 2010 Summer of Arcade, and likely one of the most atmospheric games you’ll play this year. It’ll set you back 1200 :MSPoints: but your hard-earned money will give you a mind-bending and enjoyable puzzle platformer featuring 5+ hours of gameplay, challenging achievements, and leaderboards. Of course, there are also some avatar awards including a t-shirt and a creature from the world of Limbo. In the end, LIMBO is truly an experience that you should take part in.

For more information, head over to the Marketplace and grab the demo, available July 21st, if you’re still unsure.