This Historically Praised Indie Game Is Not Worth Playing
LIMBO Walked, so INSIDE Could Run
LIMBO Walked, so INSIDE Could Run
Slightly macabre, very atmospheric, and quite thought-provoking. This short little platforming adventure through this perplexing world, is interesting, and great at times, though can be deeply frustrating. These days, it may be worth skipping.
It was ages and ages ago, when I first saw LIMBO. I don’t mean to date myself, but I watched the YouTuber Tobuscus play through this game when it first released back in 2010… Needless to say, I’m a bit late getting around to playing it.
That lateness gave me an interesting perspective, and unfortunately, its age is prominently shown through its dated game design. Some puzzles are frustratingly difficult, due to how precise you must be, in order to succeed. This was such an issue for me that I had a very real moment where I almost outright abandoned the game because of a few of these puzzles. They’re so precise that failure from them doesn’t feel like player error, which makes restarting due to them feel completely unfair.
But I pressed on, and endured those pains. What awaits you, if you do the same? Honestly? Outside those frustrating moments, LIMBO is an incredible game. The designs of the environments through its restricted color palette are beautiful. The short narrative has a powerful, captivating message. This was the X-factor that kept me motivated through the frustrating parts. I wanted to see how it would develop as I kept playing, and it pushed me up through the end of the game to the credits.
Afterward, I reflected and determined that, while I found much of it to be a delightful dive into an old indie game I never gave myself the chance to play, I don’t think there’s enough of that magic to hide those frustrating sections from my memory. And, despite its short run-time, there’s no way I’d consider replaying it. This was enough.
Ultimately, LIMBO is a great game, that many players have enjoyed, and perhaps some will continue to enjoy. But with the clunkiness of its age and the restrictive solutions to its puzzles, it makes it difficult to recommend. If you’re interested in an old indie game to play, LIMBO has its moments. But, I’d be much quicker to recommend its spiritual successor, INSIDE, which captures some of the same magic, without the frustrations.