Limbo

Limbo is a puzzle platform game that was first released in 2010. It is a side scrolling game in a 2D environment. Players control a boy in a dark environment as he looks for his sister. There are traps spread out throughout the game. The game starts in the middle of a forest. As players progress, the surroundings change to a city environment. The boy gets back to the forest by the end of the game.

There are only a few controls that are used in the game. The boy can move left and right, jump, and use the objects around him (ladders, items, and ropes). Some of the characters that the boy encounters are giant spiders, dead people, glowing worms, and monsters. Bear traps are also spread throughout the game. Players have no life count. When the character dies, players can restart the game from a checkpoint. Limbo features mechanical puzzles, magnets, traps, and other forms of physics. In some parts of the game, players must go through ‘trial and death’ before finding the right solution in order to move on.

Limbo is presented in black and white with minimal music. This provides an eerie feeling to players. The lighting and grain is also reminiscent of film noir effects.