Limbo is a dreadfully beautiful title that never feels cheap due to clever puzzles and a strong physics system.
Limbo's youngster is not one of athletic prowess. He is a weak jumper, cannot swim, and runs rather slowly as well. Projectiles in the environment serve as key in aiding his survival. Not one moment feels cheap in Limbo thanks to the clever puzzles and finely tuned physics systems. These two aspects play hand in hand wonderfully for most of the puzzles. Playdead seemed to have consciously set out to create an experience that never repeats itself.
Stumping puzzles do occur, though most of the time the solution rests in the most simple of tasks, or in a way that teeters between brilliance and poor game design. Thankfully it never falls away into the latter category. In a few instances, the game could throw the player a bone before presenting a puzzle with multiple parts that must be solved in an unconventional way. Finding one's self figuring out one component of the puzzle, only to walk a little to the right and discover that the first part of the puzzle to be completed is not the first part encountered, happens once or twice. It is a game of trial and error, and of course, skillfully timed jumps.
Eerie, unforgettable moments accompany the beautifully dreadful pallet. The beings in Limbo are few, but each encounter is entirely unique. Void of color and music (for the most part), Limbo never loses its sense of dreadfulness. Gut wrenching ambiance and deep hollow bass sounds occasionally occur to heighten the level of suspense in deadly moments. Playing a crucial role in creating Limbo's gloomy atmosphere are the sound effects. Everything from the soft patting sounds of the boy's footsteps to the chattering teeth of hungry little monsters hanging overhead add a tremendous sense of depth.
Expounding upon Limbo too much runs the risk of ruining the experience for those who have yet to experience the game. In part because one of the most intriguing aspects of Limbo is the wonder of encountering a new puzzle, obstacle, or enemy. Secondly, Limbo is stumpy in length. While some puzzles will prove to be time consuming to some, completing the game should take no more than three to four hours. Disappointingly, there are no extra features to incite many more hours with the game. Limbo is worthy of a second play-through if only to see, hear, and gawk at its dark beauty once more.
At fifteen dollars (1200 Microsoft Points), Limbo is not necessarily a steal because of its length. Xbox Live Arcade has served up some of this generations greatest gems, and Limbo is no exception. In the renaissance of the 2D platformer, Limbo, with its striking visuals and finely tuned game-play mechanics, is a title that should not be missed.