On Friday we took the evening off from painting to kick back and relax a little. About half an hour before bed time I bought LIMBO from Steam. In terms of money (€9.99) it was a bargain, in terms of sleep it was a very bad move.

LIMBO is the brainchild of Arnt Jensen, who conceived the game around 2004. It was not released until July 21, 2010, however, then as an exclusive title on Xbox Live Marketplace. It only recently made its way to the PS3 and PC platforms. In the game you play a nameless boy who has entered Limbo in search for his missing sister. You start the game in a forest, and as you solve the various puzzles, you move into a creepy urban setting where the puzzles get tougher, but not impossible. I’m really not that good at puzzle games, but only found myself stuck once.

The game features a simple, yet beautiful black and white scenery and ambient sounds and music that blends perfectly together with the graphics. The atmosphere of the game is masterly created and even though its not a horror game per se, I found myself getting goosebumps every so often. The boy is a breeze to control, but this does not stop him from being killed in the most imaginative ways and you’ll feel sorry for him when he does.

This is a great game for the casual gamer who enjoys brain teasers that are not too hard and timed jumping that you won’t fail so many times you’d rather rip out every hair on your body with a set of tweezers than try one more time. You’re only in for 3 to 5 hours of entertainment, though, and be prepared to feel a little bit cheated when you finish the game, because LIMBO just makes you want more.

Buy the game on Steam.