Toby: The Secret Mine is a secret not worth sharing. It’s a bore of an experience that doesn’t give you any context whatsoever, and comes off as an obvious piggyback from the game Limbo. Although it does share a few good, similarities when compared to the inspiration, enjoyment is sadly not one of them, and if I wanted to play a Limbo-esque game I would just rather play Limbo instead.

Toby: The Secret Mine doesn’t give you a lot – or much at all – in the story department. Instead, it places you into the role of this weird-looking demon-shaped figure in all black, and you’re forced to chase after a larger version of yourself with red eyes. As odd as it sounds, that’s essentially the game in a nutshell: side-scroll through stages covered in mostly black and gray shade, get really close to catching up to the larger figure, and repeat. Sure, you can find hidden friends scattered throughout your journey, but these are skippable and not worth collecting.

Although the game has some head-scratching puzzles that do require some thought, it wasn’t really enough to keep me interested (or invested). Some puzzles were completed more easily than others, for example, one included an instance where I had to push an object in order to jump on top of another platform, or I had to figure out how to reach an area using levers. They’re basic puzzles that don’t necessarily require much thought. While some can be puzzling, but the simplicity in their nature made them bland.

Aesthetically, The Secret Mine is really trying to emulate what made Limbo quite successful. It provides you with an eerie atmosphere that takes life away from any direction and fills the world with spooky creatures that inhabit the world. Although it nails the look of the inspiration, both inside and out, it’s unoriginal at this point, which comes off derivative and makes it seem like a cheap attempt to bank on another game’s style.

Toby: The Secret Mine is a boring game to play on the Nintendo Switch. It’s dark and gloomy atmosphere seems to set the scene well, but the scene looks very similar to that of the inspiration, making the game unoriginal and derivative. Most puzzles are bland but necessary for game progression. But overall, nothing in this game excited me nor made me feel compelled whatsoever. If you want to play a Limbo inspired game, best to go directly straight to the inspiration instead.