Limbo (video game)

From TheAlmightyGuru
Jump to: navigation, search
Limbo

Limbo - W32 - USA.jpg

Windows - World - Digital cover.

Developer Playdead
Publisher Playdead
Published 2010-07-21
Platforms Android, iOS, Linux, Macintosh, Switch PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Genres Active puzzle, Atmospheric, Platformer, Puzzle, Puzzle-platformer
Themes Adventure, Horror, Surreal
Distribution Commercial

Limbo is a puzzle-platformer horror video game developed and published by Playdead on the Xbox 360 on 2010-07-21, and then to various other platforms.

In the game, you control a little boy in a bleak gray and black world as he avoids monsters, traps, and violent other children in search of his little sister.

Personal

Own?Yes. On Steam.
Won?Yes. With 8/13 achievements.
Finished2012‎-06-14.

I bought Limbo as part of the Humble Indie Bundle V. I had seen the trailer for it, and the game looked right up my alley, so I installed it, played it, and beat it shortly after purchasing it. I had my wife play the game and she thought it was all cute and silly, until she stepped on a bear trap!

Review

Video Game Review Icon - Enjoyment.png Video Game Review Icon - Control.png Video Game Review Icon - Appearance.png Video Game Review Icon - Sound.png Video Game Review Icon - Replayability.png
8 6 8 4 4

Best Version: Windows

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

  • The graphic style is really eerie; perfectly fitting the game's theme. Despite controlling a little boy, a lot of the imagery is pretty horrific. The bright white glow on eyes and important objects is very helpful, and the blurred foreground objects give a nice sense of depth for the 2D world.
  • The music is nicely atmospheric and adds a lot to the quality of the game.
  • A lot of the puzzles are disturbing, but in a good way. Not only is the environment deadly, but the other children have a Lord of the Flies attitude.
  • I don't usually care for games where they player is expected to die a lot to learn what to do, but Limbo can be forgiven since this is essentially the plot of the game.
  • The puzzles are introduced carefully so that you can learn how to get past the more devious ones by the time you reach them.

Bad

  • The look of the game is a bit too homogeneous. I would have liked to see a color here and there, or perhaps something that didn't follow the grayscale theme.
  • The ending is a bit too ambiguous for my taste. Sure, I can put my own slant on it, but I would prefer more closure.

Ugly

  • Nothing.

Media

Videos

Review - Horror Game Theories.
Review - What's So Great About Gaming?
Review - Video Game Animation Study.
Longplay.

Representation

Strong female character?FailThe only female is a damsel in distress.
Bechdel test?FailThere is no dialogue.
Strong person of color character?FailThere is no clear race.
Queer character?FailThere are no queer characters.

Links

Link-MobyGames.png  Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-StrategyWiki.png  Link-GameFAQs.png  Link-TVTropes.png