Inbetween the completion of Final Fantasy I and beginning to tackle Final Fantasy II (review and a tips post both coming soon), I took some time out to play one of the Playstation brand's more celebrated 'Indie' titles, Limbo. Admittedly I was very late to the party with this one, but nonetheless found the game to be very convenient for portability, more than a little 'moreish', and actually refreshingly short. Playing on the Vita System, read on for my impressions below...
Story
The story of Limbo is perhaps intended more for interpretation by the audience. There is no real driving narrative, every hint that we have for the plotline is derived entirely from the opening few seconds, the journey itself of the silent protagonist, and the somewhat cryptic ending.
Limbo is not what I would describe as a narrative given game, rather the environment exists as a means for the game to take place. Perhaps the name of the game is a clue in itself - it did cross my mind as to whether the game was intended to be set in the traditional 'limbo' or 'purgatory' ideal, so more of a spiritual setting than anything else.
Nonetheless, the journey of the leading character, a small boy, takes us through a forest, a tribal area, a factory/technological environment and a city, with a smattering of caves included for good measure. There is a journey here, though its purpose remains something of a mystery to me, even after completion.
Visuals
Limbo is distinctive. Very distinctive in fact - the visual flair of the game is comprised entirely of silhouettes, and makes fantastic usage of light and dark in all areas - one particular section being set in perpetual darkness so that only the protagonists eyes were visible.
The creatures and characters encountered on the way are conveyed with all of the eeriness, and to an extent, otherworldly-ness that could be required of them - the bugs and insects in this game are a particular highlight, but at risk of spoilers I will say no more.
The backgrounds of the game provide significant detail and contrast to the silhouette-esque foreground. The forest comes to life with the thick ancient trees packing the backdrop, and the more urban areas equally come to life with vibrant electricity sparking, water cascading from pipes, electric saws spinning with menace and so on. Each of the visual elements reinforce the environments convincingly, sometimes the switch from one to another is so seamless that it can almost go unnoticed.
I can't really even begin to assess drawbacks from the visual style, the appearance of the game gives the title its identity, enhances the gameplay and ensures a consistent atmosphere throughout.
A final special note goes to the death animations, some of which I found to be startlingly gory. Given some of the situations encountered it makes sense, but my expectation going in was that player deaths would be far 'easier on the eyes'. Subverted my expectations with this, but it actually helped in my efforts to prevent the character from dying.
Music
Not much can be said about the games soundtrack, given that it doesn't really have one. That said, Limbo's audio standards are incredible. Any feelings of impending doom I felt during this game were cultivated by the audio - I mentioned earlier a pitch black area. This portion requires navigation by sound ONLY - which means estimating when to take risks, such as timing when to jump over a mechanised moving saw without being able to see it.
Tension was achieved admirably by the mix of the visuals and audio, and I would insist that, if possible, this game be played with the use of headphones. It will make it that much more impressive.
Gameplay
This brings me to the gameplay itself, and to be honest this title marked a refreshing change for me. Puzzle based games tend not to entice me so much, having far more of a preference for action and narrative based games. Many of the sequences involved in the game are straightforward with a gradual incline in difficulty as the game progresses. There were sections towards the end of the game where I would be close to tearing my hair out, but would then notice a small yet obvious detail that would present me with a quick solution (particularly with the anti-gravity sections).
Repetitive deaths did become frustrating in faster paced areas, particularly an encounter with a large creature earlier on in the game where I could find no means of escape for a time. However, with perseverance the answer did eventually present itself.
The game is a thinker, and to reveal all of the games secrets you should try venturing to areas which may seem inaccessible - admittedly, with help from an online guide I succeeded in locating the games trophies. Otherwise, I have no doubt that the game would have been completed whilst utterly missing the secret areas.
Limbo is also addictive, you might find it punishing when getting stuck but there will always be a niggling feeling to try just one more time, changing that one small detail to see if it helps. The game is also fast moving, there are never any real 'downtime' moments aside from just not moving, urging you ever onwards.
Summary
Limbo, then, is an achievement in almost all areas. Addictive gameplay supported by unique visuals and an exceptional attention to audio detail make this something of a sensory experience.
The biggest negative I can take away is that I felt absolutely no compulsion to play through the adventure again, short of revisiting specific moments for trophy purposes. Unfortunately this is something of an issue, even later DLC support with shorter independent puzzles might have worked well to flesh things out.
The relatively short time (my completion was between three and a half to four hours) that you play Limbo will be memorable, and it will be engaging, and you will want more. It is just a shame that there is little the game offers that really compels us to return to it later. However, at the incredibly reasonable price point on PSN (for free at times with PS+ subscription), this game demands your attention for at least one playthrough, and it will be one of those games that you do not want to put down.
Ranking: 3.5/5
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