Limbo

You play as a young boy who wakes up in a mysterious, grainy black and white forest. You are alone, or so it seems until you start exploring. Soon the boy discovers menacing creatures and spear-wielding natives who don’t seem to appreciate your presence, and your objective becomes obvious: solve (or rather survive) the puzzles you encounter and get out.

Limbo from Playdead Studios is a non-stop stunner, from the slow fade in at the start right up to the final moment, with no cut scenes or loading times to disrupt the surprises and creativity along the way. Despite the simple premise, the puzzles can be extremely complicated, and you will find yourself stopping and really having to think about what to do next. Limbo is also a very disturbing game: black and white visuals aside, when a little boy is electrocuted to death, hacked up by a spinning blade or impaled on broken tree branches, it’s shocking every time. The use of sound and atmospheric music all add to the game’s freaky feel and they are used to perfection.

Limbo doesn’t have much lasting appeal, but one play-through alone is worth the price. The lack of additional options or difficulties aren’t missed, as the simplicity of the game adds to the charm. However, the game is split into levels once sections have been completed, allowing players to revisit any puzzles they wish. With a three to four hour length, Limbo should ideally be played in one sitting, as it’s the best way to get sucked into the game’s inventive and creepy world. Achievements and trophies make revisits worth it, and puzzles won’t be as easy to solve second-time round as you think.

Limbo is small, short and sweet, but it is one of the best games of the year. With so many sub par, generic games released in this day and age, not to mention the £40 price tag, you really don’t have an excuse not to drop £10 on this rare gem of a game.

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