When comparing Hatred vs Limbo, the Slant community recommends Limbo for most people. In the question“What are the best Dark games on Steam?” Limbo is ranked 1st while Hatred is ranked 14th. The most important reason people chose Limbo is:
Since there are no cutscenes or loading screens, Limbo makes you fully immerse yourself in the puzzles and atmosphere of the game.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro No mistaking the games intentions
Unlike many games that give a reason as to why the main character is killing "bad guys" over and over, Hatred is themed that the main character is a serial killer, killing to cleanse the world of humanity. While this is not far off from games like Destroy All Humans!, where you are tasked with wiping out the human race, the tones are completely different in that Hatred is a very dark and disturbed game. It can be refreshing to some to see a game be honest about what it sets out to do with little apology while being seen as a critique on the current state of gaming.
Pro Challenging twin-stick gameplay
The game is a punishing twin stick shooter and it is difficult to survive, it will take a lot of practice but can be rewarding for those that like a challenge. While the controls do work best on keyboard and mouse the core gameplay lends itself to using two sticks to control the character such as what are found on a controller. The game can be frustrating, but that is part of its charm.
Pro Immerses the player fully
Since there are no cutscenes or loading screens, Limbo makes you fully immerse yourself in the puzzles and atmosphere of the game.
Pro Does not become frustrating even if you die a lot
Most players die a lot in Limbo. fortunately this does not translate to a frustrating experience while playing the game. If you die from a trap, the game immediately reloads and takes the character right before reaching that very same puzzle. This way you can try again immediately and find a solution.
Pro Quite addictive
Limbo manages to keep your attention all throughout the game by consistently presenting new, interesting things for you to solve. It starts out simple, but increasingly gets more intricate and grows into smart multi-part puzzles.
Pro Unique black and white aesthetic
Limbo uses (what was once) a very unique monochromatic color scheme to give an atmospheric feel.
Pro Good for people who don't want to waste too much time on a game
Being a relatively short game (five or six hours long), it's perfect for people who love interesting puzzle games that don't overstay their welcome.
Pro Astonishing sound design
The sound design is simply great. Even though there's virtually no soundtrack to speak of, the sound effects do a great job of creating the perfect atmosphere in which the players immerse themselves.
What's more is that if you pay close attention to the sound cues while solving a puzzle, you will find out that the sound effects are quite helpful in reaching your objective.
Pro Manages to communicate circumstance and casualty in a unique way
Being completely devoid of text, dialogue, and explanation Limbo manages to communicate circumstance and casualty to the player in a simple way not found in other games.
Having a game completely devoid of those three things is hard but Limbo manages to pull it off perfectly.
Pro Artistic puzzle
Limbo has very unique environment with highly creative puzzles that offer a great experience with monochrome, b/w and other dim colors.
Cons
Con Poor A.I.
The A.I. for the cops in the game is not great and often get stuck on objects or will not go up stairs. This leads to exploits as well as frustration due to the A.I. not doing what one would expect it to.
Con Difficult controls
Using a controller can be tough with the game as the accuracy is not great, so it is recommended to use a keyboard and mouse. Even then the movement of the main character feels as though they are moving on ice, sliding around a lot. This makes it very difficult to be accurate even though a mouse is helpful in precision targeting.
Con Ending comes somewhat abruptly
There's little lead up to the ending so it comes a little too suddenly and unexpectedly.
Con May be too dark for children
The game, by design, has the main character dying quite a bit, often very gruesomely, and so may not be appropriate for younger players.
Con Somewhat short
Limbo can be finished in about 5-6 hours on average.
Con Has some pacing issues
The first half of the game is filled with interesting creatures that you as a player encounter on the journey. While in sharp contrast, the second half of the game takes place in a deserted industrial area devoid of any lifeforms and even though puzzles become more and more interesting as you approach the end of the game, this sharp contrast between the two halves of the game creates some serious pacing issues.
The pacing issues are even more evident as you reach the ending, which while good comes quite unexpectedly.
Con Keyboard controls not that good
Movement is locked to the arrow keys instead of wasd.