Pretentious games suck, they aren't fun, the “innovative” mechanics don't work well or just are stupid and they rarely manage to convey the ideas they were created for.

Braid is not pretentious.

It is a 2D puzzle platformer that seems to be a Super Mario Bros copy with a nice art design. The main twist here is that you have the ability to rewind the game with the X button at any chosen moment. All puzzles are based on this ability and they grow gradually more complex as the game progresses. I don't want to give them anyway since they are probably the most rewarding, confounding and un-frustrating puzzles of any game ever.

The art design is probably the prettiest I have ever seen in a game and wouldn't look out of place in a classical art museum. I am a huge fan of impressionist art and while it looks great on screen-shots it is divine while moving. The musical score is equally impressive even if it is slightly innocuous.

But where it really sticks out is the story. Most games have very simple stories that almost never have any depth, go kill bad guys, save mankind, get the girl, but Braid actually manages to be personal about it. The main idea is that you play as Tim who's girlfriend has been kidnapped by a horrible monster and it's Tim's fault, so you need to save her. But in between chapters of brilliant puzzle solving you get to hear the back story and it is filled with musings about love and relationships, about consequences and learning, about perfection in one's actions and it all comes together beautifully. A game studio couldn't make something this personal, you can't have ten fantasy-pulp writers come together and talk about their failed relationships, this is truly a self-reflective piece of art.

It lovingly references old-school platforming games like Super Mario and Donkey Kong and does it in a truly humble way. Like Kill Bill is a love letter to Spaghetti Westerns and Kung Fu movies Braid pays tribute to it's muses while transcending them in so many ways, Shigeru Miyamoto will cry while playing this game.

Braid is one of the greatest games ever and by far the best of it's genre. A clear GoTY winner and as close to a perfect game we will ever get.

The Demo is available on the Xbox Live Arcade and it cost only 1200 microsoft points, buy it now. If you don't have a 360 now is the time to get it.

(A PC release will happen sometime during 2008)

Is Xbox live the only way to get the game?

Currently yes, but a PC version is planned according to the games website.

sammyfreak:
Currently yes, but a PC version is planned according to the games website.

After reading your review that's the best news I've heard all day.

Awesome. Me likey!

Wow Super Mario Bros with a PoP Sands of time factor.

Random argument man:
Wow Super Mario Bros with a PoP Sands of time factor.

And don't forget Monet paintings. ;)

I am immediately skeptical about a game uncertain in how it will disappoint me.

The concept that a game can fail to disappoint me died long since...

This looks promising though.

This game is amazing. When I played the demo...and read the first set of books...I knew I had to have it.

Currently packing to go off to college, but I know that as soon as I have time I will play it and nothing else until I know every last bit of the game. The independent developer is full of wisdom, and I hope he makes a killing on this and the pc version.

Oro?

Nice review. This game looks amazing, I will definitely be checking it out whenever I get my Xbox hooked up to Live.

I never heard of this game until I saw the Penny Arcade strip about it, but now that I see it being hyped so much (and recently heard it getting better reviews than Mass Effect and such) I will check it out.

Good, relatively succinct review!

It's an extremely good game (especially in the realm of XBLA titles), but saying it's as close to a perfect as we will ever get it's a pretty bold statement.

I felt no regret in shelling out 1,200 MS points for this title. The story has been called "open to interpretation" by some, and vague (in a negative way) by others. Either way, it's certainly worth finding out for yourself -- if you enjoyed how the demo played, the full version expands on that enjoyable gameplay with no filler-content.

Ricknub:
Good, relatively succinct review!

It's an extremely good game (especially in the realm of XBLA titles), but saying it's as close to a perfect as we will ever get it's a pretty bold statement.

I felt no regret in shelling out 1,200 MS points for this title. The story has been called "open to interpretation" by some, and vague (in a negative way) by others. Either way, it's certainly worth finding out for yourself -- if you enjoyed how the demo played, the full version expands on that enjoyable gameplay with no filler-content.

Well, it probably won't be the greatest game of all time. But I have seen zero flaws in the game, no real complaints. This goes to show that making a small game allows it to be so much better as a whole then a huge epic sometimes. Perhaps time will prove me mistaken but mark my words, Braid will go down in gaming history.

Well, it probably won't be the greatest game of all time. But I have seen zero flaws in the game, no real complaints. This goes to show that making a small game allows it to be so much better as a whole then a huge epic sometimes. Perhaps time will prove me mistaken but mark my words, Braid will go down in gaming history.

I definitely agree with you; a few days after finishing the game, I'm still left with no criticisms of the gameplay, and I certainly get the feeling that a game like this means something, even if problems can be found with the storytelling (by some). It's still probably too early to tell, but my initial reaction is the same as yours -- that this game will be something worth remembering.

I tried the demo and I love the game, so I'll probably go for the full version (besides the 1200 M$ Points) The concept, the esthetic, the music,... everything is great in this game.
It's really funny in the 3rd world when time moves depending if you walk forward or backwards.

Seriously everyone, get the game.

Copter400:
Seriously everyone, get the game.

Seconded. It's the cat's pyjamas.

mintsauce:

Copter400:
Seriously everyone, get the game.

Seconded. It's the cat's pyjamas.

I havent heard that reference in a long time...

I have one question. If he has the ability to time travel why doesn't he just go back before she was kidnapped and make sure it doesn't happen. Seriously just press X and put her in a castle or a houses' wine cellar or something and you win.

Other than that I just might buy it.

play the game and you will get an answer to exactly that, and more :)

fluffylandmine:
I have one question. If he has the ability to time travel why doesn't he just go back before she was kidnapped and make sure it doesn't happen. Seriously just press X and put her in a castle or a houses' wine cellar or something and you win.

Other than that I just might buy it.

I get the feeling you're missing the point. In fact, wait until you see the final challenge of the game; you get a pretty weird feeling about it after that.

Ivoryagent:
Ew, looks like Maplestory.

Maple Story sucks, Braid is nothing like it... It doesn't even deserve to be compared to that suckfest of an Mumorpuger... You could transplant Hitler's head onto the body of an anime chick with breasts the size of Europa and it would still compare favorably to Maple Story

mintsauce:

Copter400:
Seriously everyone, get the game.

Seconded. It's the cat's pyjamas.

third'd, this game is on the same level as Portal and Half-Life