There’s a reason LIMBO has been released and re-released time and time again. It’s a brilliant game, simple as that. So it makes sense that Playdead would see fit to release LIMBO for Switch.
The nature of the Switch makes it the perfect home for games like LIMBO. Portability is a boon for platformers, especially of the trial and error genre that LIMBO is a part of.
Despite not being broken up into any discernable chapters or levels, LIMBO is easily played in small bites. The frequent autosave and checkpoint system means you’ll never really have to replay too much. And even though it was designed to service the trial and error puzzle solving, it inadvertently works wonders for playing on the go.
LIMBO Review Switch
In LIMBO, you play as a nameless, voiceless boy who’s awoken in a strange and dangerous land. With nowhere to go but forward, he ventures forth in search of answers and possibly freedom.
His abilities are limited to jumping and grabbing. By design, all you’ll need to progress through LIMBO is jumping and grabbing, pushing and pulling. Puzzles are all based on these few mechanics, but also the one other major mechanic in the game.
Dying.
To learn how to proceed, you’re going to have to die. You can, of course, avoid dying, but it’s only likely to happen if you’ve played before of you have some sense of prescience.
Thankfully, as with all other versions of LIMBO, the Switch version loads instantly when you die, taking you back only a few moments. LIMBO wouldn’t work if it didn’t load so quickly, so it’s great that the Switch version is just like the others.
Dying on the go
The story of LIMBO is told through the gameplay and it’s better left played and discovered on your own. Rest assured, it’s well worth it and full of surprises. By now, lots of people would have played and experienced LIMBO, but if you’ve not, the Switch version is a perfect time.
As I already mentioned, LIMBO is about trial and error and it only works because of the fast loading and aggressive checkpoints.
When you’re playing on Switch, playing in docked mode is just like playing on any other console. But the beauty of the Switch is in its portability. And playing LIMBO while you’re out and about adds a brand new dimension to the game.
Portable LIMBO
As mentioned, there aren’t real chapters in LIMBO, but there are plenty of checkpoints. These are in place to make sure you don’t need to repeat too much of the game when you inevitably die.
However, they work to break the game up into micro chapters that let you play, stop and then pick it up again at a later time. As you’re never quite sure if you’ll be able to save before you arrive at your destination in real-life, these checkpoints make it so you can pick up and play any time.
Playdead’s first title is an absolute gem and it’s clear from playing it why it’s been released so many times. Now that it’s been released for Switch it might be the best version yet.
LIMBO was reviewed on Switch using a digital code provided by the publisher.
PowerUp! Reviews
Game Title: LIMBO
- Expertly crafted Trial & Error gameplay - 8/108/10
- Gloriously Gloomy World - 8.2/108.2/10
- A Story Worth Uncovering - 7.6/107.6/10
- Brilliant on Switch - 9/109/10
