Be careful about buying this game

[Sirandar]

Be careful about buying this game ....

Ask yourself 3 questions before you buy this game.
I wish I did.

1) Do you derive enjoyment from watching a child die over and over and over and over in all sorts of grusome ways.

2) Do you like a game specifically designed to be impossible to play in real time, meaning you must watch a child die over and over to find the hidden trick to solve each puzzle. At least 30% of the puzzles are impossible to solve on your first playthrough without many child deaths.

3) Do you derive intrinsic pleasure of solving frustrating puzzles with almost no payback in story.

I you answerer yes to all three of these questions then you will probably like this game.

If you are like me you would consider this borderline Child Death Porn and enjoyed the game about as much as cutting ones self with razor blades (some people like that). I only finished the game because after starting I was going to get that child out of that damned maze in penance for buying this game.

To be fair, the platforming and puzzles where generally well designed and inventive. They were also mostly fair and not all that hard to solve. Sometimes there were visual and audio ques that helped. Autosave points were plentiful but missing in 1 or 2 places I would have liked them ............ BUT the sum of the puzzles over and over without any counterpoint in story just got incredibly tedious. The hot zone for hitting some of the control buttons were too small for enjoyable gameplay also and the timings of some sections were unnecassarily tight.

The noir ambiance of the game was very well done.

To those that would tell me I suck at games, I couldn't care less .... the 30% death guaranteed puzzles are easily solved once you know the trick but death was required to find out the trick. The simple fact is that many many deaths of a child are built right into at least 30% of the puzzles in this game. If that gets you off more power to you, but maximum I would pay to endure if also there was a compelling story is much less than that.

LASTLY and to be constructive and to sound less like an "old lady", this game could have been made much more fun and palatable with the addition of 2 more control buttons.

BUTTON 1: Allows the child to use some kind of visualization power to look at the the entire parts of the level relevant to getting past an obstacle without dying. Bascially, hit the button and move the field of view anywhere.

Button 2: Allows the child to enter a thought mode where the physics movement and control are identical to the "real" game, but the child is just a stick figure and there are no gruesome deaths. You could practice the level in the childs mind until proficient and then do a satifying "real" run. This would: 1) Avoid gamers from watching repettive child death. 2) Give better gamers the chance to play the game without a single death in the 1st playthough 3) Reduce gaming tension but give an even greater sense of accomplishment (IMO) The mode should be controlable much like a DVD with Rewind and slow motion.

[Flyentology]

You sound like an angry old lady. "Rabble rabble CHILDREN DYING rabble rabble."

Get over it.

[Sirandar]

From the OP

To be constructive and to sound less like an "old lady", this game could have been made much more fun and palatable with the addition of 2 more control buttons.

BUTTON 1: Allows the child to use some kind of visualization power to look at the the entire parts of the level relevant to getting past an obstacle without dying. Bascially, hit the button and move the field of view anywhere.

Button 2: Allows the child to enter a thought mode where the physics movement and control are identical to the "real" game, but the child is just a stick figure and there are no gruesome deaths. You could practice the level in the childs mind until proficient and then do a satifying "real" run. This would: 1) Avoid gamers from watching repettive child death. 2) Give better gamers the chance to play the game without a single death in the 1st playthough 3) Reduce gaming tension but give an even greater sense of accomplishment (IMO) The mode should be controlable much like a DVD with Rewind and slow motion.

[Gamer@Heart]

1) yes, I love it.
2)It's my favorite sort of game
3)Yes, very much
4) yes you are a troll

[enemyofportal]

why careful? it's not even bloody hell shooting or cut somebody brutal way. then how about dead space2, huh? do you think it's ok? you are a mature adult. get over it.

[Aemony]

Be careful about buying this game ....

Ask yourself 3 questions before you buy this game.
I wish I did.

1) Do you derive enjoyment from watching a child die over and over and over and over in all sorts of grusome ways.

2) Do you like a game specifically designed to be impossible to play in real time, meaning you must watch a child die over and over to find the hidden trick to solve each puzzle. At least 30% of the puzzles are impossible to solve on your first playthrough without many child deaths.

3) Do you derive intrinsic pleasure of solving frustrating puzzles with almost no payback in story.

I you answerer yes to all three of these questions then you will probably like this game.

If you are like me you would consider this borderline Child Death Porn and enjoyed the game about as much as cutting ones self with razor blades (some people like that).

Why are you suggesting that everyone whom was able to play this game was so twisted in mind? Because we're not. The reason as to why you dislike this game seems to be connected to your over-the-top reaction to the fact that a child is the main character. I'm guessing you're portraying an actual real child in place of the main character, which makes it all seem very realistic.

Well, it's a game. Learn to separate fantasy from reality and you would be better of in the future.

Also:
1) No.
2) No.
3) No.

Guess what? I loved this game. The death animations was amazing and added weigth to the atmosphere within the game. The puzzles acted as necessary obstacles for the story and events to settle in a bit and allow the player to think, and overall the puzzles was perfect logical puzzles.

If you played this game expecting to get some fun out of it you probably played it the wrong way. I don't play a horror game expecting humour, nor do I play a serious psychological metaphor expecting pleasure/fun/enjoyment or frustration. And I really don't visualize a real child within a fictional game. Reality != Fantasy.

[KrAyZ!3]

It's just a game.
if it's too much for u play tetris.

[HateTheDrake]

Walls of blather which I'll distill down to one suggestion: There's a demo for a reason.

[Chapa9dj]

Be careful about buying this game ....

Ask yourself 3 questions before you buy this game.
I wish I did.

1) Do you derive enjoyment from watching a child die over and over and over and over in all sorts of grusome ways.

2) Do you like a game specifically designed to be impossible to play in real time, meaning you must watch a child die over and over to find the hidden trick to solve each puzzle. At least 30% of the puzzles are impossible to solve on your first playthrough without many child deaths.

3) Do you derive intrinsic pleasure of solving frustrating puzzles with almost no payback in story.

I you answerer yes to all three of these questions then you will probably like this game.

If you are like me you would consider this borderline Child Death Porn...
I stopped reading there..

Its just a game.
Seriously, seek help.

[AngryAngus]

I stopped reading there..

Its just a game.
Seriously, seek help.
I sadly read past that and my face is now implanted in my desk.

Honestly this guy must be one of the people fighting against a R rating in Australia as I can just see him doing something along those lines.

Most ridiculous rant I have read in a long time.

[shurcooL]

As much as I love the game, the guy does have a point to some degree. But it takes a lot of mental strength to be able to look past the fact you really enjoyed the game, paid $10 for it, in order to be able to stop for a minute and think about it without bias. That's why most replies here are like "you're an idiot" rather than "hmm, let me think about it, <come up with logical arguments and sound explanations that prove/disprove his statement>."

[shurcooL]

Here are a few relevant quotes from wikipedia on the matter. This highlights the developers' point of view. Meant for OP.

Playdead called the style of play "trial and death", and used visually gruesome imagery for the boy's deaths to steer the player from unworkable solutions.

Playdead included gruesome death sequences to highlight incorrect solutions and discourage players from repeating their mistakes.[31] While they expected players to run the boy into numerous deaths while trying solutions, Carlsen stated that their goal was to ensure death wasn't a penalty in the game, and made the death animations entertaining to keep the player interested.

So it seems their intentions were not quite what you imagine they were. Can you think of an alternative design that keeps the game equally entertaining without "grusome deaths"?

As for your idea of "Button 2", see this:

Many deaths are animated with images of dismemberment or beheading of the boy, but an optional gore filter blacks out the screen instead of showing these deaths.[12][13]

[thynth]

Many deaths are animated with images of dismemberment or beheading of the boy, but an optional gore filter blacks out the screen instead of showing these deaths.[12][13]
In the Xbox 360 version, yes. :) Afaik not (yet) in the PC version.

[Soupias]

I can understand people's sensitivities towards certain matters. The think is that the vast majority of video games are based on violence, destruction and death. I guess that people who cannot tolerate such things will have to search for the few non-violent games.

After all games are for fun, if the games tend to make you skeptical and appalled with their content then they fail to deliver entertainment and you should try selecting more careful which ones you play.

[Abaris365]

It's a game and I'm sure that no real children were harmed in any way during the production of it.

On South Park I've watched Kenny die over and over again and noone regards that as "Child Death Porn" either, but entertainment because the overwhelming majority of people can tell the difference between harmless entertainment and reality.

[shurcooL]

In the Xbox 360 version, yes. :) Afaik not (yet) in the PC version.
Yeah. I think it's fair to say they should bring the feature over to PC version too. I don't see any reason why not.

I can understand people's sensitivities towards certain matters. The think is that the vast majority of video games are based on violence, destruction and death. I guess that people who cannot tolerate such things will have to search for the few non-violent games.

After all games are for fun, if the games tend to make you skeptical and appalled with their content then they fail to deliver entertainment and you should try selecting more careful which ones you play.
Very well said, I agree.

I think the reason most games are based on violence and destruction is simply a consequence of it being the easiest interaction type to implement in a virtual world. How else can you interact meaningfully with the virtual world other than to destroy it? Talk to NPCs? That doesn't turn out to be as fun when NPCs repeat 1 or 2 pre-scripted one-liners.

However, I'd be interested in seeing if there's any way to achieve an equal amount of fun in a Limbo-like game without gruesome deaths. I guess the filter is one way, but is there something else no one has ever thought of so far?

The main reason to do that is so that this game could be easily given to a kid who's not even 10 years old yet and allow him to have fun. Expand the audience. Right now I would happily recommend this game to anyone 20+, but I probably wouldn't tell my 10 yo cousin to play it.

It's a game and I'm sure that no real children were harmed in any way during the production of it.

On South Park I've watched Kenny die over and over again and noone regards that as "Child Death Porn" either, but entertainment because the overwhelming majority of people can tell the difference between harmless entertainment and reality.
Yeah, again, this works best for adults. It's probably not a very good idea to have a 7 year old kid play this game because there's a pretty high risk they'll be negatively affected by it somehow.

[BigEV]

Child Death Porn?

You made my day, sir.

[gashadokuro]

It's not a child it's a short person....

[Aemony]

The main reason to do that is so that this game could be easily given to a kid who's not even 10 years old yet and allow him to have fun. Expand the audience. Right now I would happily recommend this game to anyone 20+, but I probably wouldn't tell my 10 yo cousin to play it.

I doubt it. Expanding the audience, making it more accessible for players and more mainstream will ensure that it loses its edge and what makes it stand apart from other platformers.

Yeah, again, this works best for adults. It's probably not a very good idea to have a 7 year old kid play this game because there's a pretty high risk they'll be negatively affected by it somehow.

I call bull♥♥♥♥. Why? Because myself, and a lot of others I know, played Doom 2 when we were 5-7 years. What you are suggesting is that children will somehow be affected strongly by the very elusive death animations, and the few "horrifying" scenes. I can ensure you that while most kids would find them entertaining they would hardly focus on them itself. The main concern that goes through a child's mind when playing the game is the fun gameplay. Everything else needs little focus and is just fun sides served along side a dish filled with their favorite ice cream.

When comparing LIMBO to other games children can easily handle, it scores rather low in terms of how much it can affect them.

I'm amazed though that you can assume that children is so weak. At most a child may require an adult introducing them to the game and its possible negative stuff. As with a lot of stuff, it all boils down to the parents and if they can manage the job.

Heck, my cousins and a lot of my friends grew up with Duke Nukem 3D when they were at that age. Did they get negatively affected by it? No, hardly.

[Aemony]

Highly relevant: http://imageshack.us/f/199/1263024597572.jpg/

[shurcooL]

I doubt it. Expanding the audience, making it more accessible for players and more mainstream will ensure that it loses its edge and what makes it stand apart from other platformers.
I am interested in finding a way to reduce focus on death without sacrificing the entertainment level, the edge and what makes it stand apart. It's very easy to get rid of violence while at the same time ruining the game. Not so easy to keep it equally fun. So far I can't think of anything, but it's an interesting topic IMO.

I call bull♥♥♥♥. Why? Because myself, and a lot of others I know, played Doom 2 when we were 5-7 years. What you are suggesting is that children will somehow be affected strongly by the very elusive death animations, and the few "horrifying" scenes. I can ensure you that while most kids would find them entertaining they would hardly focus on them itself. The main concern that goes through a child's mind when playing the game is the fun gameplay. Everything else needs little focus and is just fun sides served along side a dish filled with their favorite ice cream.

When comparing LIMBO to other games children can easily handle, it scores rather low in terms of how much it can affect them.

I'm amazed though that you can assume that children is so weak. At most a child may require an adult introducing them to the game and its possible negative stuff. As with a lot of stuff, it all boils down to the parents and if they can manage the job.

Heck, my cousins and a lot of my friends grew up with Duke Nukem 3D when they were at that age. Did they get negatively affected by it? No, hardly.
I'm not saying children can't handle it, or that it will turn them into cold blood serial killers. I've played lots of violent games when I was young, and it doesn't make me more violent or a social menace in the long run in real-life, and I imagine it's like that for majority of people. There are exceptions, but those people are mentally ill and you could blame it on anything at that point.

However, despite the notion that any typical 8-year old could probably handle a lot of heavy topics such as death, violence, sex, etc. and they will likely grow up to be normal people, that doesn't mean it's a good idea to expose them to those things. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I don't know. But I feel hesitant about it. So if we could find a way to fun without violence, that'd be pretty great.

[Aemony]

I am interested in finding a way to reduce focus on death without sacrificing the entertainment level, the edge and what makes it stand apart. It's very easy to get rid of violence while at the same time ruining the game. Not so easy to keep it equally fun. So far I can't think of anything, but it's an interesting topic IMO.


I'm not saying children can't handle it, or that it will turn them into cold blood serial killers. I've played lots of violent games when I was young, and it doesn't make me more violent or a social menace in the long run in real-life, and I imagine it's like that for majority of people. There are exceptions, but those people are mentally ill and you could blame it on anything at that point.

However, despite the notion that any typical 8-year old could probably handle a lot of heavy topics such as death, violence, sex, etc. and they will likely grow up to be normal people, that doesn't mean it's a good idea to expose them to those things. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I don't know. But I feel hesitant about it. So if we could find a way to fun without violence, that'd be pretty great.

No game can be catered to every person, as that is an impossibility. The developers knew that the deaths in the game could get boring after a while, therefor they added great animations to entertain the players during the short death sequence (which is skippable by clicking any button). If these animations are enough for someone to keep the game as far away from a child as possible, then so be it. But the worst thing I'd want as a gamer is for the developers to make it more accessible to groups of players clearly not targeted with the game.

If you view yourself as a gamer whom are proud of the diversity we've between genres, then please understand the differences between a game targeted towards children and a game targeted towards adults. While a game targeted towards adults can be played by most children without any harmful affections, that is not enough reason to begin to cater the game to children as well.

Focusing on the violence part of the animations are somewhat missing the point. They are amazingly good craftmanship and can even be called true video game art. Appreciate them for the art that they try to be, and not the violence they might use as a theme. They are death animations, after all, so violence/death is a natural part of them.

Trying to find a way for things to be accessible for everyone is a noble socialistic cause, but doing so will always mean catering towards the lowest common denominator, giving up the possibilties of shining in their own areas for accessibility. I myself am tired of the recent year's focus within game development to make everything so god damn accessible simply to ensure the largest profit margins. Some times it might work, often it does not.

With a game such as LIMBO the whole purpose is to be different, questioning the norm and status quo.

[soviet_sharkey]

You are either a ♥♥♥
old lady
or person who don't know difference between real life and games
if you are any of these (which you are) please ♥♥♥♥ off