Important Notes
Important Notes
General Warnings
- Frequent Deaths Are Expected: Limbo is designed around trial-and-error. Your character will die many times—by spikes, drowning, crushing, traps, and puzzles. This is not a failure; it's a core gameplay loop. Do not get frustrated; each death teaches you the puzzle's rules.
- No Save Slots or Manual Saves: The game uses an automatic checkpoint system. Checkpoints are frequent (often every few steps in puzzle areas), but if you close the game mid-level, you resume at the last checkpoint. You cannot go back to earlier areas or re-collect missed items without restarting the entire playthrough.
- No In-Game Hints or Dialogue: There is no narrator, character speech, on-screen text, or tutorial pop-ups. All puzzle logic must be deduced from the environment, physics, and sound cues. Pay close attention to shadows, moving objects, and background details.
- Secret Ending (Requires Collectibles): The only missable content is the secret ending. To unlock it, you must find and activate all 10 hidden glowing orbs (often called eggs) scattered throughout the game. Collecting them unlocks a hidden achievement and a different ending cutscene.
- No Dialogue Choices or Multiple Endings (Besides Secret): Limbo is completely linear. There are no story branches, no karma system, no decisions that affect the narrative. The only variation is the standard ending and the secret ending.
- The Spider (Early Game): The giant spider chases you through a forest area. It's a prolonged, tense sequence requiring precise timing. Run when it pauses, hide under boxes, and use environmental traps (bear traps, water). Patience is key.
- Gravity Shift Room (Mid-Game): A puzzle room where up becomes down. The puzzle demands a clear understanding of momentum and object placement. If you jump at the wrong time, you'll fall off the screen. Observe the pattern before acting.
- Electrical Puzzles (Late Game): Several rooms require manipulating live wires, switches, and boxes to redirect electricity. These can be tricky because touching a charged wire instantly kills you. Use the environment (water, metal boxes) to complete circuits safely.
- The Final Puzzle (End of Game): The last area involves a complex series of levers, platforms, and moving objects that must be coordinated in a strict sequence. There is no checkpoint once you start the final elevator sequence, so failing means replaying a long section from the last checkpoint. Memorize the pattern.
- No Grinding Necessary: Limbo has no experience, currency, upgrades, or leveling. All progress is puzzle-based. Do not attempt to collect points or repeat areas for resources—there are none.
- Achievement Hunting: The only missable achievements are the "Egg" achievements (collecting all 10 orbs) and the speedrun achievement (finish the game in under 60 minutes, if your platform supports it). Getting the speedrun achievement requires multiple playthroughs since you can't skip puzzles. Do not stress about it on first playthrough.
- No Online Multiplayer or Anti-Cheat: Limbo is a single-player game with no online features. There is no anti-cheat system, leaderboard competition, or multiplayer etiquette. Feel free to take your time, use guides, or cheat (if you must) without affecting others.
- Automatic Only: Saves are created at checkpoints automatically. To force a save, let your character stand still for a few seconds. The game saves when you see a small white icon (a rectangle with a line) briefly appear in the corner (varies by platform).
- Quitting the Game: You can quit at any time. When you reload, you start at the last checkpoint. There is no penalty for quitting during a puzzle, but remember that checkpoints are not always immediately before a tough jump—you may have to redo a short sequence.
- Backup Saves (PC): On PC, save files are typically located in:
- Limbo is a linear, unforgiving, but rewarding experience. Do not approach it as a standard action game. Take your time, analyze each screen, and embrace death as a learning tool. The sense of accomplishment comes from solving each silent, deadly puzzle.
Missable Content & Irreversible Choices
- Warning: Eggs are easily missed. They are placed off the main path, often requiring backtracking or solving optional environmental puzzles (e.g., moving a crate that seems unnecessary). If you finish the game without collecting all 10, you cannot reload a checkpoint to go back—you must start a new game or use chapter select (if available on your platform) to recollect them.
- Platform-Specific Chapter Select: On some versions (Steam, later console re-releases), after beating the game you unlock the ability to select individual chapters. This allows you to grab missed eggs without a full replay. Check your platform's features.
Difficulty Spikes & Puzzles to Prepare For
Grinding Traps & Unnecessary Effort
Save Management Advice
- Steam: `%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Limbo` or similar depending on version.
- Epic Games Store: Same or inside game install folder.
- You can manually copy these files to back up your progress, but it's rarely needed because the game is short (3-5 hours). If you want to keep a pre-secret-egg state, copy the save before collecting the last egg.
Things Players Commonly Regret Not Knowing Earlier
1. The Secret Ending Exists: Many players finish the game unaware that a different ending is available by collecting all orbs. If you care about story, look up a guide for orb locations before you start your playthrough or use chapter select afterward.
2. Brightness Settings Matter: The game is deliberately dark and monochrome. If you struggle to see platforms or traps, adjust your screen brightness or in-game brightness setting. Too dark = missed puzzle clues; too bright = loses atmosphere.
3. You Can Skip Cutscenes: On most platforms, you can skip the brief cutscenes (like after death) by pressing the skip button (usually Start/Enter or A/X). This can save a few seconds if you die repeatedly.
4. Jumping on Objects Changes Their Behavior: Boxes crumble with repeated jumping; logs roll. Experiment with jumping on anything that moves; it often reveals puzzle solutions.
5. Drowning is Instant: In water, you drown after a few seconds. There is no indicator except for a change in the character's posture. If you fall into deep water, quickly move toward a platform or ladder.
6. Sound Cues Are Clues: The game uses audio to signal danger (e.g., a low rumble means a heavy object is falling, a buzzing sound means electricity). Wear headphones for the best experience.
7. No Checkpoint Inside a Single Puzzle: If a puzzle has multiple steps, the checkpoint often occurs only after you complete the first major part. If you die midway, you may restart from the puzzle's beginning, not the step you were on.
8. The Game is Short: Expect a first playthrough to take 3–5 hours. If you get stuck for more than 20 minutes on a single puzzle, it's acceptable to look up a hint—many puzzles require non-obvious environmental manipulation.