From the Nordic regions of Denmark comes a game that is darker than a Tim Burton wet dream and as elegant as a fine piece of art. Limbo, developed by PlayDead Studios, is a platform/puzzle game developed for Xbox LIVE Arcade, which shows the gaming industry that so-called AAA titles are not the only games capable of capturing the imagination of gamers.
The first thing that strikes the player is the unusual art style and presentation of the game. There are no bright colours here, only sheer black, moody greys and a small spattering of luminous white. The world of Limbo is a dark and desolate place, and despite the overbearing nature of the visual styling, the player never feels like they are lost in the darkness that pervades every inch of the world. Limbo stands out in a market full of games that pour browns and greys into each new game release and is a shining example of how to discard the colour palette in favour of something much more simplistic.
The animation is fluid, from the way in which the lead character moves, to the intricate details of a certain giant spider. Everything flows smoothly and effortlessly, and there are no breaks in the gameplay due to the fact that there are no loading screens. A truly remarkable feat and one that the developers should be very proud of.
There is little narrative to speak of, but that is not to say that there is no story; the player controls a boy who is looking for his sister in the world of Limbo. There is no need for long winded storylines and plot points. This is a game designed for pure pleasure, and the truth is, it wouldn’t matter if there was no story at all.
The audio makes this title such a unique and impressive piece. For the vast majority of the game, the only sounds that can be heard are the footsteps of the boy, falling rain and the grinding of metal. Every chord that is played in the game is menacing and further immerses the player into the dark void that is Limbo.
The controls are simplistic in nature, with only two buttons in use; one for jump and the other for grab. Anyone that has played an old school platformer should be able to manoeuvre around the world with no real issues. The use of these two buttons however, require a lot more intricate thought and control than first expected. The player will have to jump, grab, drag and swing through this dark world and it is the combination of these actions, laid out in puzzles, that will have players hooked.
Puzzles come in the shape of timing jumps to avoid death, and you will die many times on your first run-through, simple block pushing and even complex physics and anti-gravity based puzzles. Each of these tricks and traps is an individual level and every single one has its own personality. Rarely will one puzzle directly mimic another and there is a huge sense of achievement upon completion of each section, whether it was on your first go or after several violent and bloody failures.
There is little else to say about Limbo other than to insist that anyone who has access to the Xbox LIVE marketplace should buy this title. Out of the hundreds of titles that have appeared on the marketplace, very few have come as close to being as impressive as Limbo. This is the arcade title of the year so far.
VideogameUK verdict: 9/10
