Site: http://braid-game.com/ (be warned, there is naughty language amongst this page 
)
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqtSKkyJgFM
And here we are, at number 30. Once again, it has to be special game of some description… and I think Braid is a game that has achieved quite some level of achievement.
Whilst I may not be the games biggest fan ever, it certainly deserves a mention as a downloadable game everyone should at least play… maybe not buy.
- Released originally for our lovely sister on Xbox Live on 6th August 2008, followed by a PC port on 10th April 2009… before hitting PSN on 12th November for NA, and 17th December for EU, for £7.99
- Developed by … well developed by Jonathon Blow. With the art done by David Hellman and using licensed music. However, the PS3 ports were taking over by Hothead games. Who we may recognise for the brilliant Deathspank series, Penny Arcade Adventures and Swarm.
- The music used in the game, was 8 tracks chosen by John himself to keep development costs down, and only chose ones that sounded good in reverse as well as forwards. As with the artwork, he chose because he wanted to push video games as an artform.
- Braid was in development from 2004 after a trip to Thailand (oh hello)… and even before the game was finalized it had won the independent game design award at the 2006 GDC. Since release it went onto claim another 9 awards including best ending, best soundtrack and best Xbox Live game of the year
- As well as retaining numerous awards it’s also the title to have gained the coveted best rated Xbox Live game… ever, as well as being the 10th best Xbox 360 game. The game holds 93% from critics… including an amazing 10/10 from Eurogamer and 86% from gamers…
- Braid actually has nothing at all to do with hair styling.
As per usual I’ll start by saying I got this through Plus.
I had heard all the stories about it, how it was the best independent game ever, this that and the other… but I had never bothered to look at it apart from that silhouette style ‘cover’ that was used to promote it, and that drove me away. “Another black 2.5D independent platformer? How is this revolutionary?” Is practically what I thought.
Then I got the little gem through Plus, as don’t get me wrong, I love independent games as much as the next EA/Ubisoft hater… but they have a tendency to be over priced… and £7.99 for what I heard could be a short game was a no brainer to not buy it.
However, I’m sure like many people, I was very surprised when I first started it, … but.. I’ll say it now... not in the way everyone would think. I… genuinely didn’t… ‘get’ it. I didn’t understand how everyone thought it was the brain child of Timesplitters and Paper Mario… or whatever other amazingly good games people think of.
But I had to give it a chance, as in these situations I always remember the first time I popped Populous The Beginning into the PS1… I turned it off after the first level in spite of its waste of money… a few months later I played it again out of boredom and it’s now the only game in the world that should ever deserve a rating above 9/10, and eventually with Braid I had this epiphany, for use of a better word.
Yes, the puzzles were, mind boggling… the controls were perfect for the gameplay and it looked fantastic… However, these were also the games downfall for me. I still didn’t have that… “Come look at this game dad” factor. It was totally ‘retro’ and I respect that, and it was original… but I never want to play it now. I’ll be honest I own it on the PC as well now after an indie games sale… but I haven’t completed either of them.
Yes I’m missing out on what is apparently an amazing ending... through no real fault of the game… it’s just my tastes aren’t exactly puzzle platformer hungry. Yes people can say I suck at it, which I certainly do, I’m a terrible gamer with an awful attention span and most people can vouch for that, but with Braid… I don’t know. Maybe it’s a case of overhyping it to me and expecting the best puzzle game ever, and what I was presented with… in my eyes was a R2-L2 baby-faced based childrens book, there was nothing to really grab me.
I enjoy the game, and I will complete it, now as I type it’s there… being confusing. But whether I’ll complete it sane is another question.
Graphics: 6.5 Yes, it’s a beautiful game… lovely paint effect that tie the story and gameplay together, but… you get the same in free flash games. It didn’t appeal to me
Sound: 8 I’ll admit, I also fell for the totally fitting music, and it certainly works backwards… along with pretty much all sound effects throughout.
Multiplayer: N/A
Fun Factor: 6 Meh… This is why game journalism, or any media type reflection should always be taken with a grain of salt… everyone has different tastes. I would rather play TimeShift or HAZE anyday… and they are both cheaper… 
The Other: 4 A nice little website for it, and like many people, I love the XMB background… however, you won’t find anything else apart from what the game gives you.
Final score: 7-ish (You’ve most probably already played the game, but I feel it’s not all that gameable)
So, tell me forum… what’s your opinion on Braid? Do you own it on all possible platforms because it’s ‘da bomb’? Did you get it with Plus and wondered why you hadn’t got it before? Or are you just a big ol’ meanie and refuse to accept Tim into your life?
The way it takes you through the story with each level having a different kind of puzzle element is just sheer genius....and the depth of what the game means (google it) is just pure quality.
It most game mags/websites this is one of the of the top 3 PSN games ever....
homerjnick wrote:
Strange review pacman, this s by far one of the best PSN games barring Limbo and PAIN yet you gave it quite a low score.
The way it takes you through the story with each level having a different kind of puzzle element is just sheer genius....and the depth of what the game means (google it) is just pure quality.
It most game mags/websites this is one of the of the top 3 PSN games ever....
Then again, I'm not a fan of Limbo.
You also mention PAIN, one of my favourites, if not favourite PSN games to date, however, many, many more people would call it the largest wreck to hit PSN...
...especially now since it died 
InfiniteStates wrote:
Ajescent wrote:
In my opinion? Slightly overrated game...can't see what the point of it is.
LOL as opposed to all the other games out there with a purpose?
The thing is Braid really does have a point but so few people seem to take the time to dig a bit deeper to discover what that point is though.
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