Videogame analysis - Konzack style
Description:
Limbo is a sidescrolling, action/logic platformer. The player takes on the role of The Boy, an unnamed character who has to travel through hostile environment in search of a lost companion.
It was developed independently by Playdead ApS in 2010. The received heavy praise for its extraordinary visuals and overall elegance. It received numerous gaming awards, including Best Independent Game and Arcade Game of the Year.
Hardware:
Limbo was released on all major platforms: Windows, Mac, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Due to its minimalistic control system the game experience stays more or less identical on all versions. Only on PC, players may be surprised by its hardware requirements, considering it is a 2D platformer.
Code:
As Konzack himself, I have nor the skill nor the opportunity to study the code of the game.
Functionality
The mechanics of Limbo are quite similar to an average puzzle solving platformer - the player continues walking from left to right across a 2D world (although the perspective sometimes shifts). In his journey, he encounters two types of obstacles: static puzzles, that he must solve to continue, and time problems (such as being chased by spiders or escaping from a flooding room), which he must solve quickly or die. Failure is only a minor hindrance, as the always restarts on a near checkpoint. The game is divided into levels, but the transition between them is hard to notice.
Gameplay
The player player starts the game with absolutely no instructions on how to play - Limbo relies on his experience with the genre. As the game progresses, the challenges slowly get more complex, combining in them solutions and (player's) skills from previous obstacles. The puzzles are often physics based, some of them require quick reflexes and skill. Most of them are designed to be repeated, as some dangers become apparent only when its too late. There is usually only one solution to each problem.
Meaning
The meaning of Limbo is sort of an open topic. There is no text in the game, except for options menu, title and several in-game decorations (a "hotel" sign). None of the character talks and there is no narrator. The story of the game and its meaning has to be derived from the gameplay events. The general opinion is that the main character is in searching for his sister in the underworld. Deeper interpretation may concern the themes of abandonment, search for companionship and dealing with unknown environment.
Referentiality
It is not necessary to have any previous knowledge of similar games to play Limbo, but it makes the initial orientation in the game easier. Furthermore, a player familiar with classic platformers will be probably more able to appreciate Limbo's unique style and graphics.
Some elements of the game are a possible reference to other media - the forest and urban environments may be reminiscent of some horror classics, and the makeshift defenses and traps build by Limbo's inhabitants strongly remind of Lord of Flies.
Socio-Culture
As Konzac says, it is hard to analyse the socio-cultural aspect of any game without extensive research. Only as a speculation, we could consider Limbo an ideal game for casual players, since it is simple to control and beautiful to experience. Such as, Limbo could have (and I believe it has) a special social role of "the game that is more than a game", a living proof the media's potential in artistic and philosophical domains.
Criticism of Konzac
I personaly more or less like this way of analysing games. But as with any other methodics, there are some games that fit the research tool perfectly, and others that don't. In my personal opinion, Limbo should be analysed using a more artistic approach. Even though its gameplay mechanics are intriguing, it is its visuals that make the game stand out. It would be interesting to try to analyse Limbo form a painter’s point of view, examining the color palette (which is black and white), the use of light and various details, as particle effects and filters.
Another thing missing from the Konzac analysis is the mood of the game - which is the second most admired feature of the game. The dark, horror setting of the game, combined with its monochromatic visuals and morbid occurrences compose an incredibly strong emotional output, which is hard to describe or analyse. Perhaps some psycho-analytical approach could prove useful in this way.
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