When LIMBO became a part of the Linux gaming world through the latest Humble Indie Bundle, I knew I should take the journey right away. This game has won over 90 awards, and many gamers of all platforms consider it to be the best indie game ever. Time to have a more extensive look on this unique platform game…
Starting LIMBO is like throwing yourself in to another planet. You control a little boy who wakes up in the woods having no clue of what is going on, what happened, what you are searching for and what you should be afraid of. Everything is black and white, making the scenery more enchanting and more mystery enclosing.
Even after the very first few minutes, controlling the little guy is over. You ARE the little guy now. This atmosphere, these weird and somewhat frightening lights and sounds, the immediate awareness of the little boy’s fragility that comes from the childish way he makes every movement, all that adds up inside your heart and makes you another innocent victim of a highly successful game immersion situation.
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This unique monochrome art doesn’t simplify the optical experience at all. In LIMBO, you get to see and enjoy every detail that matters, while at the same time get this dark ambient feeling. The music and sounds are well crafted too and very important danger precursors.
If you think this is a children’s game you are mistaken. Lurking creatures in the dark will kill you in the most inhuman way you’d expect from this game, making your heart beat faster every time. You can’t run fast, you can’t swim, you can’t jump very high and you can’t stand more than zero hits. This will make you watch your every step, and even if you know that you can continue from the last checkpoint, you still maintain this strong survival feeling.
Puzzles are really something LIMBO creators should be proud of. I found them all to be great, as they were difficult enough, and very different from each other. You may find yourself stuck somewhere as there is no hint to help you, but the solution is never far for him who has patience and imagination.
There is really no point in telling you anything about the story, or specific situations in the game. LIMBO is a childish nightmare that you have to live on your own from the beginning to the end. You are the one who dreams and you can interpretate what you see in your own way. The game itself is made to put you in to such emotional and intellectual situation, as you won’t really find a standard storyline that will clear things up.
