You Are Entering … LIMBO

Uncertain of his sister’s a fate, a boy enters LIMBO. That’s the only information on the Xbox.com LIMBO page. And there isn’t much more info on the official game site. Created by Playdead, an independent games studio based in Copenhagen, Denmark, this deliberately enigmatic title will now be available for all to play on July 21 as it launches on Xbox LIVE Arcade during our Summer of Arcade 2010.

Let’s just say you’re in for a treat. Even the opening is strange. You sit there watching a foggy swamp scene for an eternity until you manage to press a button. And then the two little bright eyes of your character blink as he slowly awakes and begins the game. The extremely simple controls (left thumbstick for  movement, A for Jump, B for Action) combine with the creepy environments to provide for some truly unusual platform game action. For one thing, the game is entirely done in blacks, whites, and grays. This bold artistic choice adds to the suspense and some of the rather gruesome ways your poor little character can end his life (thankfully, when you die, you’re instantly brought back to life ready to face the puzzle or trap again).

Adding to the edginess is the complete lack of music. I know that movie folks will tell you that music can increase the suspense, but it can just as easily become a cliche. LIMBO’s reliance on silence and only environmental sounds from the on-screen objects makes you laser in on the action, as you move from set piece to set piece in an attempt to progress through the level.

For example, one of the first environmental puzzles you encounter (after jumping over a spike-filled trap – oh go ahead, you know you want to jump into it at least once) is a cart underneath a water tower. You can’t jump up to the next level and you can’t get beyond the tower. After a few misguided attempts, it becomes apparent that you can pull the cart (with the Action button) out from under the tower, then jump onto the cart, onto the tower platform, and then jump out to a rope. Rappel down the rope to another platform, leap off avoiding the water trap below, then run through a tunnel, jumping onto a small boat. The boat instantly takes off and you’re crossing the water to land near a rock wall that you can’t climb. So … no, I have to stop there.

 
Because the real joy of the game is in figuring out the puzzle vignettes on your own. And some of these may take a little effort, but it’s what makes for a great platforming game. With a friendly save system featuring automatic saves and the ability to do chapter replays, and featuring a unique aesthetic that is integral to gameplay, LIMBO is set to be the next big Xbox LIVE Arcade hit. Download it July 21 for only 1200 MS Points and enter LIMBO.

Comments

• Anonymous
  July 23, 2010
  i love the game but im stuck and its not even a puzzle ive tried and tried were can i find help?

• Anonymous
  July 25, 2010
  This game is pretty neat at first, but its entirely too short, if they add some levels through xbox live it will be worth it, but its not worth it for 1200 mic points, dont buy!!!

• Anonymous
  July 25, 2010
  To sw29fan -- The game forums are a great place to start. Here's the xbox.com forum: forums.xbox.com/.../ShowForum.aspx To jcig -- Well, to each his own. I've spent the approximation of 1200 MS Points on a lot of long-lasting games that just weren't as much fun or as intriguing.

• Anonymous
  July 27, 2010
  Props to whoever spent the time to make this game, its unique in how it looks and feels so definitely an A for originality but I think that judging by how similar the levels look and play, it would have been easy to make the game longer, even though it would just be more time doing the same things, thats what most games are anyways these days. PS... I have several games that are less than half the price of limbo but have much more replay value.

• Anonymous
  August 15, 2010
  I'm really stuck at the crates that drop and the huge table saw. I need some help.