Why Limbo is my favorite game
Limbo does many things well and I will break my top three reasons down below...
1) Atmosphere - Playdead Studios created one of the best, most chilling and frightening atmospheres I have ever come across in a game. Never would a player expect a game with a story line as simple as a little boy looking to save his sister to be so scary, but with clear design pillars Playdead Studios did just that.
2) Visuals/ Audio - With the film noir, black and white color palette Limbo truly feels unique and helps emerge players into its dark world. In my opinion however, the audio is what truly keeps players on the edge of their seat and provides the haunting atmosphere many players have grown to love in Limbo. Just listen to the audio in the trailer above and see for yourself. It's important to note that Limbo has no music at all, only ambience noise, which makes it an incredible feat to pull off successfully as many game nowadays rely on music to provide great atmospheres.
3) Design - Limbo has excellent design for multiple reasons. Level design-wise there is great pacing and introduction to the mechanics of the game. My favorite part about Limbo is how complex puzzles can be yet there are only 3 controls, navigation with the joystick, jump, and an action button. The thought and effort going into each obstacle, puzzle, and enemy that players come across is incredible. The spider itself is one of the most memorable gaming moments I've experienced; using the trap to cut of its legs, only to have another come back to wind you up in a web and then spend the next portion of the game jumping around while completely covered in a spider's web. The level design, and design in general, was done exceptionally well and I applaud Playdead for sticking with a clear vision.
What I would change about Limbo
Combining play styles - I break down Limbo into two sections, the first half of the game is the 'Forest Section' and the second have of the game is the 'Industrial Section'. In the Forest Section there are a lot of encounters with spiders, other mysterious kids, and some flying creatures which provided many creative scenarios that were phenomenal, however in the Industrial Section there is a heavy focus on mind-bending and elaborate puzzles. I understand and acknowledge that Playdead wanted to provide variety in gameplay as players progress, but I feel it was redundant to completely separate the two play styles. I would bring both of these distinguished play styles and 'combine' them by dispersing these moments throughout the entire game so there is no distinguishable difference from the first half and the second half of the game - as most enjoy the first half of the game more than the second.
Leaderboards - Limbo could use more social features within the community. There is already a leaderboard on the percentage of completion within the game however this could have been explored in many different areas, adding a death counter to compare with friends on the leaderboard, the amount of time spent in-game, or even how many times a player has jumped. These neat little additions would just provide some more replay value and competition amongst friends.
A unique puzzle platformer with a haunting atmosphere, beautiful visuals and audio, and incredible design.
Limbo
