Indie Spotlight: LIMBO

 There aren't that many games today that are so immediately unique as LIMBO. It's colorless, quiet, and simple. You may only run, jump, and grab certain objects. Such gameplay reminds me of the bright days of the old school Mario games that I, and many others, first cut our gamer's teeth on. This is by no means a Mario game though. LIMBO is a dark, mysterious, and cheerless place where bodies litter the ground and nothing holds good intentions toward you. In part, it is this fact that makes the game so unique. There is no color in the game whatsoever; only black, white, and the shades of gray in between. To break up the monotony of a plain black and white 2D plane, the developers at Playdead included a foreground and background that are separated from the playable plane by the camera's depth of field. In other words, the camera focuses on where you walk, but blurs everything in front of it and behind it. This gives the world a real sense of depth, even though you are actually restricted to a 2D plane.

Sound in LIMBO is nearly non-existent, but I believe it was an intentional decision. Though a great deal of the game's atmosphere can be attributed to its visuals, the lack of any constant music or sound dramatically adds to the tension and expectation of seeing the next trap just a moment too late. The limited sounds and music that are there however, are well crafted and adds to the experience in the best possible ways. In all honesty though, the silence is more profound than the sound. If you play this game, turn off any noise around you and listen as you play. You will hardly hear anything for some time, and it will be a great deal more engrossing than you think.

The story is also nearly non-existent, but it works for the setting. LIMBO's description on Steam consists of one line that tells the entire story. That description reads: “Uncertain of his sister's fate, a boy enters LIMBO”. That is everything you need to know to understand why you are where you are and why you're doing what you're doing. The story does not develop or progress beyond that singular goal until the very end, where you are then sitting back, watching the credits roll, and appreciating the amazing experience you have just had.

Speaking of the credits, you will be seeing them very soon after beginning the game; as LIMBO only lasts three hours for a decently experienced player. Those three hours will be among the most memorable of your gaming career though. The game is well worth the $10 admission to anyone who appreciates unique and memorable experiences. Overall, LIMBO, alongside other greats like Amnesia, Terraria, and Minecraft, displays the great power of the indie developer, and should not be missed by any self-respecting gamer.

LIMBO Overall Score: