Limbo Game Analysis

Limbo is a 2D platformer puzzle game developed by Playdead Studios. Winning "Best Game of 2010" by IGN and Gamespot, Limbo is a must play. Very few side-scroller games have been able to replicate what Limbo has managed to achieve in terms of art style and overall flow of gameplay.

Limbo is a type of game that relies on reaction time and critical thinking skills. Not much is told to the player when they start the game. The character begins the game laying on the ground, in order to wake up, the player must press the movement keys which they must find out themselves (or open the Controls window in the main menu). arrow keys are used for movement and the Shift key is used to interact with items. 

The beginning of the game starts in an open field in order to give the player time to become comfortable with the controls. As the player progresses, they are introduced to the gravity mechanic of the game, where the character slides down the slope of a hill; here the player encounters their first dangerous obstacle, a spike pit. this first spike pit can prove challenging for those who are not expecting it, as the inertia from the hill slide pushes the player quickly towards the spikes. The player isn't punished too harshly if they are not able to react in time - checkpoints are fairly close together so the player can respawn just a few feet away from where they died; this is a much needed feature due to the fact that progressing through the game takes a lot of trial and error. 

Further beyond the spike pit, the player is introduced to the first movable object in the game. the player must move a mine cart in order to reach a higher platform; from this platform, the player jumps to a rope which is used to descend to the docked boat. The player quickly learns that water is also dangerous to them if they try to swim across the lake, the boat and other objects are used to cross to the other side. I found this tutorial level very interesting because it relies on the player's instinct and no part of it is a "safe" environment for the player to move at their own pace. the tutorial doesn't teach the player how to play the game but more teaches how the player should act and think while playing the game.

I really enjoy the level design of limbo as well as the art style. The puzzles demand the player to think and use the environment to its fullest potential, and the traps can be challenging to navigate at times. The art style of Limbo takes on a vast range of different shades of grey, the environment takes on a seemingly 3D aspect due to parallaxing backgrounds and out-of-focus object that are close to the camera. Overall I enjoyed playing Limbo for the gameplay and visuals, I would highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys puzzles.