Be careful playing this game. It creates a localized time dialation that makes time flow faster outside your room. I started playing this game at 5 pm, but just a little while later I checked my watch and realized it was now 9 pm. I find it hard to believe that I lost track of time for four entire hours. I'm pretty sure the way this game screws with time is really to blame.

I should probably play some more now. You know, for the sake of scientific curiosity.

Johnathan Blow is a creative genius.

Braid is... Not For Everyone

The time twisting, puzzle platformer is brilliantly made, fantastically designed but a killer on the brain. The introduction to the game drip feeds you the information you are required to complete it, and its all down to you to apply the knowledge you have been given.

Now this is where opinions will divide; I enjoyed the challenge and that inspired me to push on. You could argue this game is actually really boring, I would disagree, but essentially it is advanced jumping with time elements. The story is strong, the character is great, albeit eccentrically odd, and the mechanics are near flawless. If you are a naysayer, play this in chunks and it'll win you round.

I think compared to other indie titles this game is perfectly priced at £5 - £10. If you don't enjoy the art style, then anything below that and you have got a steal and its worth a shot.

Notes
Steam Achievements, No Trading Cards, Full Controller Support.

Sometimes, when watching a film or reading a novel, you feel a burn of emotion deep inside your chest. Something that affects you so profoundly that it moves beyond being just a form of media. It is internalized and remembered forever.

Braid is one of those things. But it isn't just an example of art in gaming, it's a game full of pure genius as well.

The game, at first, comes off as a platformer. There are relatively little instances of hardcore platforming in the game, and they usually only serve as a medium to allow you to interact with the puzzle that you're dealing with. Make no mistake, this is a puzzle game at heart.

The puzzles here are incredibly good, and very well scaled from level to level. The first two levels are relatively easy and will only take you a few minutes, the third is a bit harder, and the last puzzles will make you feel like your brain is deflated. The amount of time that you'll have to put into each puzzle may be debilitating for some, but the sheer joy and pleasure of solving one overcomes any sense of stress that staring at your screen racking your brain may cause. These aren't just run of the mill puzzles, either. There are a number that are, in my mind, some of the best puzzles that I've ever seen in a game.

The art direction is beautiful. The backgrounds are watercolor constructed, they're vibrant and bright, and dark and brooding. The soundtrack is perfectly placed and flooded with beautiful violin work. Each are augmented by an incredibly written preface that comes prior to starting each level. The story is written so broadly and so metaphorically that it can literally be translated to represent whatever the player would like it to. The ending represents one of the epic twists in video game history, and does so in game -- a puzzle in itself.

I literally cannot think of one thing that I dislike about this game. It could be longer, but length can't really be expected from a game that costs so little.

There is so much value stuffed into the 10ish hours that you'll spend playing this game, it's hard to put it into words any other way than just to spout off the cliche of "buy it and experience it yourself". It's an experience to be had, and it's one of the most artistically beautiful exhibits in gaming history that is guaranteed to affect you in a most profound way.

(Full review follows below)

• Game Name: Braid
  
• Original Release: 2009
  
• Genre Tags: Puzzle-Platformer; 2D; Time-Warp
  
• My Overall Grade: B+
  
• Estimated Playtime (Campaign): 4-6 hours
  
• Multiplayer Aspect: None
  
• Recommended To: Established fans of the genre; Those intrigued by the genre; Puzzle game aficionados

Braid is a short and sweet puzzle/platformer with an quasi-innovative time-manipulation aspect. The ability to rewind time not only allows for intriguing gameplay, but also provides a good way for there to be challenging puzzles without the game becoming unnecessarily frustrating. If you like puzzle/platformers, this should be high on your list of games to try.

The game mixes elements of puzzlers and platforming to form its identity. And there is a comfortable familiarity to the game which should feel inviting to most gamers. It starts off mostly focused on thinking-based puzzles and then a little while into the game there does start to be some platforming aspects sprinkled in, where your reaction time and precision abilities will be tested. But for the most part it's pretty mild and not that hard. Again, the time-manipulation also helps alleviate some of the difficulty of the platforming sections. It works out so a large majority of people should have an easy time enjoying Braid.

And as you progress through the game you will unlock different time-manipulation abilities which will need to be used properly to complete your quest. So the gameplay evolves throughout the campaign, keeping things fresh and keeping your mind active.

There isn't much of a story to be mentioned, but the game doesn't really need one. There is a strong influence of old school platformers (i.e.: the early Mario Bros. games). In that vein, there is a basic purpose to your actions, but no need for a sprawling narrative. Your quest in Braid is to traverse hostile lands to rescue a kidnapped princess, what else do you really need to know. Also, there isn’t that much of an immersive atmosphere either. The ambiance feels very nondescript and purely functional. However, none of this is a bad thing; Braid is simply a game that is focused on gameplay, purposefully minimizing the other distractive aspects.

And so I definitely recommend you check out Braid if you’re a fan of the puzzle/platformer genre and are looking for a new game that focuses on gameplay. Also if you are someone who loves a real challenge, the speed-run achievement can give you a nice "run for your money.”

Follow my curation page to see more of my recommendations!

An intellectually stimulating combination of symbolic game design, brilliant visuals, an immersive soundtrack, and a post-modern story that will leave you pondering its implications for months. I consider this the best videogame ever made.

Braid isn't fun

wait, that's not what i meant to do

od ot tnaem i tahw ton s'taht, tiaw nuf t'nsi diarb




Braid IS fun

Braid is a platforming puzzle game which was released on Xbox Live initially in 2008 before later being ported onto PC in 2009. You play the character, Tim, as you attempt to rescue the princess from a monster (very cliche!).

Game play in Braid looks like a very generic puzzle platformer on face value, however with the addition of the special ability to manipulate time by rewinding and fast forwarding, you can find yourself in some very unique situations. The other gameplay elements are very much the same though, running, jumping and climbing around a standard platforming environment. Each level in the game adds a little bit of a change to the time bending ability which keeps things fresh each time you progress.

Braid is a very simple looking game; the graphics are standard two 2D style, however they do have a very pleasing charm to it. The art style within the game is just gorgeous to look at. The art work alone apparently took over a year to produce, and you can really tell a huge amount of heart and effort went into creating it.

The plot in Braid is very intriguing indeed. You are certainly in for a few twists and turns and very unpredictable outcomes throughout - I was personally in no way shape or form expecting the end of the game to end up how it did; and that is a nice change from a game since they can sometimes become very predictable. After finishing the game, you are able to find additional text that expand the story even further too.

The music used in Braid was selected by the developer himself, from licensed music, this was done to reduce the cost in the development stage. What I really liked about the music is that each tune has a different feel to it when you re-wind time in game; its a really small element, but it makes a huge difference to how you feel when playing.

I found Braid to be a difficult game; purely because I am the worst person possible when it comes to 1) Puzzles and 2) Platformers. Put the two together and it's just a mess. At times I had to resort to a trusty walkthrough to work it out, but for the majority of the time I was able to figure out each level on my own. Puzzle veterans may well find this game's puzzles to be easy, and still struggle on the platforming element to it!

Braid took me just over six hour to complete; this was purely a run through the story mode; there are a lot of Jigsaw pieces to find in the game which result in achievements, so will add a couple more hours of gameplay. Some of which are unobtainable at the first time of coming across them, so a little bit of replaying older levels is needed to collect them all. However I personally see no reason to replay the game only for the achievements. The story and gameplay 100% linear.

I had no technical problems whilst playing. Braid can be played at all resolutions up to 4k in windowed mode and full screen. A controller, as always with platformers is highly recommended to play but can also be played with keyboard.

To sum up, I am only going to Recommend Braid, simply because the two genres put together are my least favorite of all time, however take that with a pinch of salt because if you really enjoy puzzle/platformers, then this game is certainly for you and you need to pick it up, even at the full price of £6,99 this game is a steal!

Tom's Score Card
1) Stay away
2) Only recommended when on sale
3) Recommended
4) Highly recommended
5) This is a must play

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http://store.steampowered.com/app/26800

A damn good game, this one. Back when i was not so much into indie games, i saw "Indie Game: The Movie" which drove me to get this game. I did and played it and just loved it. The puzzles were really great and even a bit tough and they kept me thinking about how to get that puzzle piece even when i wasn't playing the game. I literally kept thinking most of the day. No game has ever done that to me before i think. And when i solved the puzzle somehow, i felt this great sense of achievement and it made me so happy. Even made me feel very intelligent :p . I fell in love with this game. Loved the concept, loved the gameplay, loved the puzzles. The story was a bit confusing for me but i liked it nonetheless. I even kept staring at the screen for a long time to figure out how i can solve the puzzle. And then i discovered .. stars. Could not figure out all of them, only 2 of em. So i had to see some guides but the effort it took to get the stars made it worth it. I would rate this game 10/10.

One of the most acclaimed puzzle-platformers, Braid led the first generation of mainstream indie games. Its level and puzzle design are nearly flawless as they instruct the player in each world's time altering mechanics while also providing compelling challenge. Most of Braid can be played non linearly, so if you get stuck you can try another level and maybe later come back with new ideas to the one you left. It's still beatiful though it has aged a bit. I'd appreciate a hint system but I respect Jonathan Blow not wanting to compromise his design vision. The story has multiple layers of meaning though you'll have to finish the game to see the whole picture understand it in restropect.