Developer: Playdead
Publisher: Xbox Live Arcade
Price: 1200
Platform: Xbox 360
Limbo is a 2D puzzle platformer for the Xbox Live Arcade. You are a small boy who has lost his sister and must go through Limbo to save her.
Presentation
The Presentation of Limbo is absolutely fantastic! The black and white gradient atmosphere blended with layered 2.5D backgrounds is an extreme pleasure on the eyes. Using subtle cues in the environment rather than a HUD adds to the beautiful simplicity of the game. The audio also adds to the simple yet morbid world. The ambient sound will add suspense to the puzzles and may even tighten your nerves. Simple things like clanking of metal or flowing of electricity or water can add so much complexity to this world. The game may be in black and white but its presentation is more deep than the majority of games I have played this entire generation.
StoryI wish Limbo had elaborated more on it's story. In fact until I went to play Limbo and saw it's description in the dashboard I wouldn't have even known the sister existed until the end of the game. I would like to know why that tribe is attacking you, or many other of the obstacles explained. I also didn't like the complete abrupt ending that literally comes out of nowhere. Although the universe is very intriguing it needed more fleshing out with a valve esque type of storytelling using the environment to describe what's going on.
Gameplay
The gameplay is simplistic yet brilliant You control your character using standard platforming controls and using the environment to your advantage. The puzzles are beautifully designed and really make you contemplate your next move. Some puzzles are so well designed they are arguably some of the best I've seen in this type of genre. I extremely suggest you avoid walkthroughs the magic of this game will be ruined if explained to you.
ReplayabilityThe game is only about 3 hours long but the magic comes in with the achievements and the pure fun of the puzzles. The achievements are designed around hidden eggs scattered throughout the game to extend your exploration throughout Limbo's universe. The puzzles are surprisingly fun to play through so going through the game multiple times is no burden at all. However once you've found all the puzzle's secrets blowing through the game in an hour should be easy.
OverallThe game is a visual masterpiece with very fun gameplay. There are virtually no problems with the game in fact it leaves me with wanting more, the only thing wrong with this game is that it's extremely short. Also $15 is a bit steep for a 3 hour experience even that of pure gaming bliss. If you love platformers it is a must buy.
