Limbo
by SynRaptor on Apr.18, 2011, under Xbox Live Arcade
Limbo is a side scrolling puzzle platformer released on Xbox Live Arcade. You play the role of a silhouetted and nameless young boy searching for his sister in what could be perceived as the afterlife. The game is 2D side scroller with a very intuitive and well designed physics engine incorporated to the level design, which is a monochrome style and incredibly atmospheric for an Arcade title. Just think of it as something you would expect Tim Burton to create out of his twisted imagination.
Forest: spooky as hell!
The level is riddled with deadly traps, enemies and environmental hazards which will kill you at the drop of a hat. There’s deep water, electrical hazards, falling objects, proximity machine guns and large industrial machinery which will make short work of you in an instant should you get careless. Oh and there’s a big scary spider. I hate spiders.
The physics of the environment is very impressive and well designed. Objects fall and be manipulated brilliantly and the design of the individual puzzles is both well planned and very clever. You do feel very smart if you get it done correctly.
I hate spiders!
The music is chilling in places and provides a very suitable backdrop to the eerie atmosphere created. In essence, this game is a masterpiece. What you cannot deny however is that this game is quite difficult. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t struggling in parts as some parts of the levels seem rather insurmountable in places and you will spend about 8 or 9 lives attempting just one puzzle level.
As puzzle games go, this is definitely one of the best. There’s plenty of puzzles to keep you busy throughout and there’s a pleasant challenge the whole way through. I thought Limbo was a great game and catpures your imagination long enough for you to enjoy a thrilling puzzle yet creepy experience.
April 26th, 2011 on 4:39 pm
I can’t think exactly why I decided to get this game, but whatever reason it was for it had me instantly hooked. I literally didn’t stop playing it from when I got it until when I completed it.
Like you said, the music is one of the things that makes it such a good game, as at every single juncture they seem to have the sound matching the atmosphere perfectly, and adding to your immersion massively. There really isn’t a story line to the game as such, but for me I almost felt that the music took the place of a structured story, and you began following that through instead…if that makes any sense at all!
Some of the puzzles in it were ridiculously hard (the last one takes insane timing, and in my case doubtlessly some luck when I finally managed it). I think there is an achievement to complete the whole game in one go in under 2 hours with 5 deaths or less…if you ask me, anyone who can do the last couple of puzzles alone without at least 5 deaths is doing pretty bloody well! One for the “Ridiculous Achievements” section in the future perhaps?!
Overall though I think this is probably the best Xbox Live Arcade game I have played (and I think it won a couple of awards to reflect that?). Its been a year or two since it came out now though, and I am hoping for a sequel sometime soon – just as long as they keep to the basic mechanics of this game rather than trying to do too much with it!