I took a break to go eat and do some other things, so I find it fitting to label this as the second and last part of my journal. The puzzles so far were not that hard, they were creative but not to the point of frustration. Many of the creative ones involved a bit of timing, while the majority require pushing and pulling objects.
A good portion of the game is dedicated to parkour and puzzles, so I thought I should sprinkle in some of my theories here.
By definition, Limbo is a hellish place where lost souls, most of the time children, are in for who knows how long. Using this definition, and the information that I obtained playing so far, I believe that we are in that place. I say this because a lot of the bodies look to be the size of children. I also believe that this game shows the main character’s quest to escape this “hell” and reach heaven or someplace better.
Soon enough the environment starts to change, it goes from a forest to a factory. The two could not be any more different. While the forest gave me more creepy vibes, the factory gave me more anxiety since I felt like there were more dangers in this area.
This is where the puzzles started to ramp up a bit more in complexity since they involve more precise timing and add more elements, including water and electricity hazards.
Once again, a megalophobia trigger warning should be in place because of the HOTEL sign! This is one of the sections that has stuck with me, although I am not sure why. Going back to my theory, I think that the major events and settings in the game are things from when the main character was alive. In a sense, this game is a story of his journey while also giving us insight into his life, specifically his fears.
The factory is the most “mechanically” pleasing section of this game since the puzzles here contain different objects, you would find in a factory setting and use them to create interesting obstacles. There are buttons, conveyor belts, elevators, etc.
Another memorable part is when you get to the gear section. Once again, the objects here are giant, and at some points, you spin the environment around you completely. This reminds me of the megalophobia idea since this gameplay mechanic serves to remind the player that he is tiny, and he is not significant in the face of enormous dangers.
ONE OF THE HARDEST PARTS was right before the minecart cave section. The timing required me to be almost perfect to avoid dying, which I did a lot. It is after this where I see a contrast in gameplay.
Here we get music that sounds like a church choir, and we get more fantastical puzzles that include odder components such as laser detection guns and anti-gravity switches. To me, this is where I picture the main character getting closer to heaven, or whatever end he may be searching for. Here too is where the puzzles get a bit harder. I would be lying if I say that I did not consult a guide on how to do the final few. I was stuck for a while, and would have been stuck a lot more, had it not been for them.
As soon as I saw the scene where I break through the glass, I knew that this was going to be the topic of my Close Playing assignment. In my opinion, the ending is perfect. It’s an ambiguous ending to an ambiguous game. There is no resolution, we learn nothing, we are just left to imagine what will happen next.
In the end, I feel like my theory was partially correct. However, the end goal here is different, since he made this journey through his hell to reunite with, I guess to be his sister.
Overall, I enjoyed this game because of many reasons. The aesthetics gave me a creepy vibe, but it was not overly scary. Although Limbo only utilizes a few buttons on the controller, the gameplay is very intriguing since I had a tough time doing some puzzles. I am excited to play Inside and see what is had to offer!