Limbo Review - Simplicity At It's Best



See the fog up in the air there?
Somewhat creepy.



When I put Limbo in my download queue, I noticed that it was only 105 mb, which is very small when put up against the big games of XBLA, but if you played just a small portion of Limbo, you'll know that it's all goodness compared to most XBLA games which just squeeze in under 2 GB limit. But in Limbo, everything is so simple. Limbo's black and white backgrounds are as powerful as Unreal Engine 3's. Limbo's silence is as tension filled as an orchestra by Martin O'Donnell. It's this simplistic nature that gives Limbo a certain, quality to the protagonist and the world around him.

The protagonist in question is a little boy, who wakes up in a forest; dazed and confused. His intentions are unknown, but you push forward, helping this little boy to his goal. Unfortunately, the forest and everything in it, are trying to kill you in the process. But no power-ups or health packs, one hit and he's dead.... Whilst the story for Limbo isn't mind-blowing, it's still a decent plot, but then again - that isn't the best part of Limbo. The gameplay is. So like I said, your a little boy in forest trying to get to his goal; but the forest puts up a fight. For instance, in the first few minutes you have to get across a river, which has a log floating on top which is just far enough for you not jump on it. This left me stumped (Get it! y'know tree, stump...), but then went back and retraced my steps and was able to get across. Seriously, if you complete Limbo and your iQ hasn't gone up, you haven't played it right; Limbo makes you think outside the box.
Whilst the game is amazing in it's own right, it's achievements are slightly odd... for instance if you complete the game in one sitting with 5 or less deaths, you get 10G for the ordeal, whereas the other achievements are Easter egg-ish; where you have to find an egg in Limbo's world using again outside the box thinking for the achievement.

Limbo's art direction is rather peculiar. Despite the constantly evolving video game industry, with realistic life-like games that immerses you in memorable experiences at one end of the spectrum, and colourful, beautiful backgrounds with a wide array of colurs at the other, Limbo seems to do away with either and instead goes for a pure aesthetic, with just black and white for a colour palette.


The pair on the right serve as one of the games antagonists.
NOTE: Kinda creepy.



Think of Limbo as a paranormal activity sort-of thing, low budget, not too gorey scenes, but still lots of tension in there. Unfortunately, Limbo lasts about the same time as a movie. I bought Limbo at 9:30 pm on a Saturday, and after signing off at around about midnight, I would say I was about 3/4 finished, which the next morning I finished it in another hour and a half. The rest of the achievements/eggs are a puzzle in them selves, but they just seem like filler for the game. Other reviewers have compared Limbo to Braid; a short little game that you'll probably only play once, but that one playthrough is so good (but we can't compare, because I haven't got Braid...)

Limbo then seems to do-away with a epic 100-hour storyline or fast paced, addictive gameplay, and instead focuses on just a short, but sweet runthrough that makes you feel proud after the end of it all. After going through many death contraptions, after all the pain and suffering this virtual boy has went through time and time again, you have finally made it. You have helped this faceless boy get to his sister, enduring a mind-numbing puzzle of a journey. But boy, what a journey! A short one that is.

6/7

Fantastic