Needless to say, I finally got around to getting Limbo, and first independent game from Playdead Studios from Copenhagen.  Release in 2011, this game is a well polished side-scrolling platform game that is more about situational puzzle-solving. But what Limbo does differently from all of the other is keep it simple. So simple that there is no tutorial.  There are no instructions.  You are just a small boy that awakens in the forest and you are trying to find your way out.  There is a story, but it slowly evolves.

But by keeping the mechanics simple, it allows the developers to amaze you with the sounds of the game, the visual aura and beautifully haunting surroundings.  The entire game has a monochromatic look to it with a fuzzy, murky feeling to it that just is astounding and makes you want to just keep continuing in the game.

Much of the puzzles are trial and error, but the game is very forgiving and you return just at the point of the next obstacle to try again. Mind you that the “deaths” of trial and error are not childish, but rather violent, but done in a way that isn’t necessarily for mature audiences…. but this is no Mario-Kart, that is for sure.

The game itself lasts about 5-6 continuous hours, which by most accounts would be considered a short game and would turn away many gamers.  However its list price of $9.99 – $14.99 makes a priced just right and I would rather play a short game of such tremendous value and production value, than play through a game that is much longer but just mediocre or the same as so many other games out there.

Whether you play the game on a Macintosh, PC, Xbox, or Playstation, go and download this game.  Now.  Without question.  There is a reason that this game won over 90 gaming awards last year.  It is that good.

View the Trailer

1. He’s The Everyday Hero

Put aside the fact of Bruce Wayne’s wealth, under the costume, he is still just a city’s citizen that is tired of allowing corruption, crime, and evil run rampant. Yes, he is simply-put, a vigilante.  But he inspires us to not turn away from injustice, but to do something about it.

2. No Powers

He is one of the few heroes in the DC Comics or Marvel world that has absolutely no super powers.  No superhuman strength. No extra-planetary abilities. He is a mortal man. His strength he gets from conditioning. His combat abilities from training. Yes, he has gadgets, but could he still be Batman without them, yes.  Take away the robotic suit, and Tony Stark is no longer IronMan.

3. He is Complicated

The motivations behind the character are anything but simple.  They are complicated.  He has emotional baggage. He has issues that not only fuel him in his quest, but can haunt him in his sleep. Does he need counseling? Yes.  But that is why he is so relatable to us all.  He is not the Man of Emotional Steel. He is a real guy. With a past. Living each day with having to deal and cope.  Sound familiar?

4. He is Not Glorified

I love the movie line, “He can become what Gotham needs him to be.” Batman is not Gotham City’s glorified hero.  He doesn’t have the greatest press coverage.  Some view him as a hero.  Some view him as a crazed vigilante.  Some view him as just another villain who is wanted by the police.  Because he is a mystery to most, he can be all of those things and still fight for justice.

5. Fear

I love the very concept of his character.  He strives to strike fear into those that use fear itself to prey among the weak and innocent.  But he uses he own fears to personify that fear.  By becoming The Bat, he embodies that fear, that element of dark night and uses it to his advantage.

When it comes to gaming, I like a good plethora of variety in the types of games that I personally gravitate to.  Whether it is a good Team Deathmatch in Modern Warfare 2, or more obscure gems that have artistic flare and varying strategy like Ico, I am more impressed by games that require my brain cells, not just a bunch of button-mashing.

Call me a lover of the classics.  I am referring to the real beginnings of computer gaming.  The point-and-click adventure.  Whether it was Sam and Max, Day of the Tentacle, Maniac Mansion, or the mother of them all, the Monkey Island series, there is something unique and compelling about these type of games.  They challenge the mind, and force you to use your skills of observation and deduction as to how to proceed to the next level, screen, or scenario.

Unfortunately, since the conception the gaming console, this genre of game has become a dying breed. While there are a good number of them being produced in Flash as a web-browser game (for free), finding a really well produced or thought-out gem is far and few.

Then along comes an obscure but incredible game called Machinarium.  Dreamed, conceived, and birthed by a little unknown Czech gaming collaborate called Amanita Design, lead designer Jakub Dvorsky has created one of the most ingenious games in this genre.

Whether it is it unique interface, compelling musical and atmospheric score, hand-drawn artwork, or very inventive puzzles, this game just ROCKS.  And it is in the details.  From tiny blades of grass that blow in the breeze, the quirky animations that our main character displays if we fail to proceed for a few minutes.  It is all jaw-dropping.

Machinarium is notable in that it contains no dialogue neither spoken nor written. The game’s story instead uses a system of animated thought bubbles. Even more detailed scenes can in the same format can only be revealed by idling in certain areas.

For a game that has some really good puzzles to have to solve, it does have a more unique approach to helping people out along the way. Once per level, the player can receive a hint, which becomes increasingly vague as the game progresses. Machinarium also comes with a walkthrough that can be accessed at any time by playing a minigame. As with dialogue, the walkthrough is not in written or spoken form, but instead a series of sketches describing the puzzle at hand and its solution.

The plot?  You are assisting a simple and humble little robot who has, at the beginning of the game, been delivered to a desolate dump pile.  He then journeys back to a very dilapitated city, and encounters the need to save his city and rescue his robotic girlfriend from some rather seedy robotic counterparts.

Taking over a period of three years to complete, and seven developers, this wonderful game was released in October 2009 and won the Excellence in Visual Art award at the 12th Annual Independent Games Festival.

Available for both PC and Macintosh, this game is a must have for any lover of games, or more particular, for the lover of the classic point-and-click adventure.  This game will not disappoint.

Check out the game trailer below:

The development team has been hard at work on the next installment, which has been penned “Project Trico” and it looks to be nothing short of amazing. Taking on the etherial quality of both previous games, while improving on the climbing ability that was established in Shadow of Colossus. What is strikingly gorgeous as seen by this teaser trailer is the animal motion-captures that are shown in the large companion that will help, guide, and assist the hero in this upcoming game.

Just watch this preview and than stand in amazement at what the next generation of gaming graphics is delivering to the masses.