![]() ![]() The world the boy inhabits is filled with terrifying renditions of childhood experiences. Limbo only reaches for what it knows it can accomplish, freeing itself of clutter. They never become over-used and tedious and they are never used as a mechanical crutch. Yet they remain secondary elements to the game, letting the atmosphere always reign supreme. Some mechanics, such as temporary gravity distortion or a worm that forces the player to move in one direction until reaching a light source, are very clever. Nor is it self-aware enough to make critical commentary on its genre. Perhaps their biggest accomplishment is creating such a modest experience. Yet I would suggest building Limbo as a 2D platformer liberated PlayDead to apply such consideration to the game’s art and sound design. Each interactive object is distinguishable from the black environment without being gaudy, distracting, or unrealistic. At E3, one PlayDead developer mentioned the numerous playtests conducted to perfect the silhouettes of game assets. This is not to say developing Limbo was easy. The completely black and white aesthetic unifies the whole while simplifying the design process in some ways. In one moment the boy is in a forest, in the next a factory. Despite its composite nature, movement between scenes flows smoothly. Thus, the game becomes broken up into manageable, albeit occasionally difficult, chunks of gameplay. When a player dies, she is deposited mere moments before the protagonist is killed. Opting to creating a 2D platformer removes a significant amount of risk for what almost certainly begins as a very risky proposition.” It seems evident in Limbo that PlayDead knew their limitations exactly and exploited the perhaps over-saturated genre with grace.Įach of the platform puzzles are distinct and isolated entities. While the game is not for everyone, I have no qualms saying it is a nearly perfect experience.Įarlier today, Nels Anderson of Above49 posted an article titled " Why Are So Many Indie Darlings 2D Platformers?” Using Limbo as an example of this trend, Nels had this to offer as one explanatory factor: “On the pragmatic side, 2D platformers are relatively easy to develop. In fact, Limbo is the ultimate example of a tightly produced package, highly polished and seldom straying into dangerous territory. Danish developers PlayDead Studios did not try to shape an overtly emotional story about siblings into the game. In which case the little boy protagonist is dead, or maybe his sister is dead, or both. Presumably the title refers to the mythological border between heaven and hell, a temporary space for unbaptized children to lounge about until the end of days. I have to admit, I am not entirely sure I know what Limbo is about. Warning: This post contains spoilers for Limbo.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |