Limbo

After having not blogged for about a month, it takes something really intriguing to get things going again. I'm always a sucker for shadow puppets, and having done an entire project on that theme before, Limbo really reminded me of what I really love about dark atmospheric sets.

The IGN reviewer writes:

Videogames are an art form made up of visuals, sound, and a mysterious little something we call gameplay. Limbo is the perfect example of these three crafts working together in harmony to create something astounding.

All done in grayscale, Limbo navigates a creepy forest with merely the contrast between light and silhouette, with perceived depth and intricate layering. It is set in the 2D space which further calls to the shadow puppet set in which such effects can all be achieved.

The visuals sit on the fence between bleak and powerfully chiaroscuro - more is hidden than you think in this shadow filled world. Other than adding to the thrill of gameplay, it tugs at our collective fear of darkness and the unknown, becoming nothing more than creatively psychological.

If you are interested in the contemporary use of shadow puppetry, the starting point of my shadow puppet exploration was Little Dragon's Twice MV, and the post Cinema illustrates some of the human scale exploration of shadows.