Limbo
“Are video games art?” It's a question that's been asked so often by video game writers and academics that it's become a cliche, but if any game were to appear in the Tate Modern, then Limbo would surely be it.
The game's black and white visuals render a starkly beautiful world--one where the life of a young boy is usually only seconds away from being ended in a horrific manner. Somehow, seeing a boy impaled on a giant spider's leg or mutilated in some whirling machinery is all the more gruesome when viewed in monochrome. Thankfully, you never have to replay much of the game when you die.
Limbo is notable for its ambiguous nature--as the name suggests, it has a dream-like quality, and the story is open to interpretation. At the beginning, you appear to be saving your sister, but nothing is really ever explained, and the ending is vague. Luckily, the platforming and puzzles are fantastic enough to pull you through the approximately four-hour running time.
Format: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, SteamOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, iOS, Android, OnLive