LIMBO

Limbo was announced back in 2007 and is undoubtedly one of the most interesting independent games of the current generation. Developed by Playdead Games, it is the first ever title of the Danish studio. For those who are tired of repetitive gaming platforming, Limbo's innovation through small changes, like a vision in black and white and vibrant colors, you forget you’re stepping into a world where a little boy is looking for his sister. The game has impressed many players since its first trailer released three years ago, and has since won several awards, including the Visual Arts and Technical Excellence at the Independent Games Festival. The recognition is great, but what convinced us of Limbo?

Limbo is apparently a children's title about a young boy seeks to discover the whereabouts of his sister. That’s where people are wrong. When starting the game, we can see that there is nothing wrong with a common name in the games industry, related to our purpose. But when you wake up in the woods and start walking in the beautiful scenario, you suddenly find a pit full of spikes. We jump and we continue to move forward. Soon after we encounter two bear traps on the road, we’re thinking, no problem. Let's jump. The boy somehow cannot reach the other side and is torn by the traps. Game over.

Limbo has you focusing on two specific objectives: Dying and Learning. We were looking forward to play Limbo because Playdead stated that some of the deaths would be impressive. None of the trailers released contained even one death, only its imminence. As the game progresses dying of various and memorable ways is normal. Yes, we admit; dying in Limbo is fun. And after experiencing the joy of it, the puzzles begin, so you’re ready to die a few more times. But at the same time, learning how to overcome them.

The gameplay is extremely simple: X to jump (A in Xbox 360) and Square (B in Xbox 360) to activate buttons and dragging objects, and use the left analog stick to move around the scenario. Limbo may require the player to be as deliberate as possible when moving forward, not as fast as you want. Getting used to the controls is easy, and that's where the platform genre back to its golden years. Many feel that this is missing in other similar games, and Limbo is an ode to time, with the physical engine and original visual effects. The adversaries that you meet along the way are many, and you need to find solutions to try and avoid deadly traps. Your main objective is to continue, proceed through theworld. The checkpoint system of the game isn't frustrating, and if you die in an area you respawn just a few feet away from it.

During the first time you look at its graphics, Limbo is only shades of black and white. Ironically, it’s the most intriguing aspect about Limbo, as well as its strongest attributes. Limbo is what many people can probably perceive as art. The use of the lack of color is amazing, and the scenario has more life than other games with color palettes such as Katamari Damacy. The grass moves in the wind, and the earth trembles at the impact of large objects. We have, at hand, a more visually pleasing game of recent times. Limbo is a game you can only experience if you're playing it, and nothing else.

The animations are perfect; the little boy is just done in black with white eyes that give the impression of being yellow. Many times during the game he seems to be crying, as if he didn't want to be there, fighting for his life. While it looks sensational, you also feel a strange connection to him. The character struggles to make long jumps, while dragging objects; look into corners and struggle to climb. It is a character with lots of personality and humanity, without saying anything. The sound work of Playdead is memorable. There's some music throughout the game, only the sound of footsteps of the little boy and the environment around him. There are no cries of pain, just the sound of death, which at times can be cringe-worthy.

Limbo seems to be perfect for an original take of playing video games. Playdead makes an unforgettable work on their first title, andwe have one of the best downloadable games ever made. Is Limbo the next Braid? Limbo is an excellent proposal to a shrouded world in a dense and infinite haze of mystery that Playdead, as the developer, accomplished the task with merit.

Marco Cecilio, NoobFeed