Collecting My Thought on Limbo—Little Brother

Having played its successor Inside a couple of years ago, I knew Limbo had gargantuan shoes to fill. Though it did not accomplish the difficult task of outshining Inside, this black and white puzzle-platformer definitely deserves the distinction of being regarded as Inside's little brother. There is a similar gist to both games where a boy finds himself in the woods gradually delving deeper into the mysteries of a twisted world. Nuanced storytelling and simple yet stunning graphics feature in both as specialities of their author Arnt Jensen and the Playdead studio. However, Limbo did not hypnotise me the way Inside did. It was unable to transcend itself beyond being just a great video game, the way Inside did. Instead what it offered was level design of the most elite class and an auditory experience that many video games will struggle to surpass.

This game is a masterclass in platformer design. Being a longstanding fan of platformers such as the Crash Bandicoot and Portal series, I can say that Limbo as a pure platformer nears the very top of the heap. Gravity-altering levels, scarcely lit rotating levels and even unnerving pitch-black levels that have the player rely solely on sound and timing, all test just how wide a player's repertoire of skills and talents really is, expressing the peril of the game's crooked environment. On top of that, the score melts lusciously into the gameplay. It is dynamic, it is reactive, it is descriptive, and it is simply pleasant to the ear in itself. These create some memorable moments of storytelling, though the whole never really achieved greatness beyond the sum of its great parts.

Limbo is a platformer wet dream, and your best headphones are recommended. Though an excellent game in its own right, it will unfortunately always play second fiddle on the Jensen stage. There aren't many bad things for me to say, but there are many things for me to learn. For example, I have learned that grayscale does not mean lack of expression; I have also learned that sound does not have to be an afterthought; and most importantly, I have learned that making an excellent game does not mean you can't do better the second time around.

#FashionablyLateBy Ten years (yes I know about the boo-boo in the Inside post, stop emailing me about it already!).

#FavouriteLevel Rotating cogs, rotating light. What a pernicious disco scene that was.

#FavouriteBoss The first one. Heart-pounding.

#SequelNeeded I don't know about a sequel per se, but I have a small feeling I would enjoy what the folks behind Limbo would go on to make next... ;)