Travel back in time and enter a parallel universe and you'll read an Xbox World 360 brave enough to call Braid the best game ever; a land without the likes of Super Mario World, Ocarina of Time, Portal and Fallout 3 all vying for the same spot. It's a world where the platform game never died and a world where ingenuity and ideas curry greater favour than high definition visuals and bigger, louder guns. But that's another place and another, braver XBW. Here and now, we daren't label Braid the best game ever, but it's right up there - alongside Mario, Zelda, Gordon Freeman and the guy from Vault 101. It's up there.
There's a sense that everything in Braid matters; every element is crucial to the whole and not a single facet is wasted. Each world exists under different rules - in one, time moves forwards as you move right and backwards as you head left; in another, time can be slowed around a focal point; another spawns two universes simultaneously, allowing you to solve puzzles using your own parallel universe doppelganger as your co-op buddy.
In every world, time can be thrown into rewind. There's nothing punitive about Braid - no death, no failure, nothing to kick you in the crotch when you're having fun, just success and reward. Every stage so perfectly designed that failure isn't defeat, but rather an opportunity to try again and do it better. It's possible to head from the left to the right and reach the game's end, barely touching a puzzle nor using your abilities, should you fancy. Braid doesn't care how you play it, whether you see the whole story or whether you seek out every last puzzle piece to make it to the game's final world - the game doesn't care whether you see everything, only that you have fun with everything you see.
Time for change It's a bit like Portal, really. Like Valve's space-bending Game of the Year, Braid is perfect in its size, shape and focus. It's long enough to occupy you, short enough not to outstay its welcome; easy enough that every stage can be breezed through, but tough enough that only masters will see all that the game has to offer. It's fast enough to demand precision and meticulous execution, but slow enough to accommodate careful planning and design. Where Portal offers new ways to manipulate space, Braid's hook is in manipulating time - different dimensions but the same pure fun.
But Braid is both the polar opposite and the twin of Portal - both games presenting a unique and striking world to explore, one cold and unforgiving, the other warm and alive. Both tell a story in a unique way and both leave questions unanswered when the end comes. Braid is short on stages but long on imagination, and it packs more good bits in its few hours than most ultra budget titles manage in one hundred.
Every element is so cohesive - the story is a sophisticated and very personal tale which intertwines with the personal design obsessions of its author. Together, Jon Blow and David Hellman have created something which looks and feels as though it were poured rather than built. Braid somehow feels as though it has always existed; as if it were some memory of a game you played long ago. It's like a classic platformer nobody ever got around to making - the mould was always there, and it just needed someone with enough ideas to fill it.
That's Braid - amazing ideas, achievement, logic, pride, beauty, and a game so good it makes every other Xbox World five-star game look a little silly. In a world without Mario and Valve and the Bethesda hit factory Braid is indeed the best game ever made; in this world, it's among the best games of the generation, and is unquestionably and immediately the best game ever to have been released on Xbox Live Arcade.
I've seen the name, but from the screenshots (I couldn't be bottomd in reading all the review) I don't know the the hell is going on. Will have to download the trial!
Ive seen a few previews on a few different sites for the game, supposedly the devs have been working on it for nearly 3 years now. I think this is a miust for download although wether its worth 1200 MS points we'll wait and see.
The original score was 5 out of 5, which (in a 100 point scale) could acually equate any value greater than or equal to 9.0.
I'm not sure that automatically giving it a perfect score when transferring it across the scales is a reasonable comparison. Surely if GTA IV got 9.5 and Orange Box got 9.3 (just 2 examples out of many), then both would surely have got 5/5 in a similar scale. So maybe Braid should actually be rated a little less than the ultimate example of gaming perfection also?
I was planning on getting it anyway, i've been interested in the game for a while now. This review just makes me happier about my purchase. This and Bionic Commando Rearmed; good couple of weeks for XBLA.
Just had a peek at the IGN review and 8.8 seems more realistic. Apparently the lasting appeal is very small, so for 1200 MS points they can keep it. The graphics look okay, but it still looks like a posh Amiga game and the mechanics of the levels reminded me of that Viking platformer, without the other two Vikings and time thrown in. Not for me, at that price.
EDIT: If they released the game for Ł3.49-Ł5.00 I would take a punt on it, no probs. I payed Ł3.49 for PJ:Monsters on PSN and got over 20 hours of addictive gameplay. Braid apparently lasts about 4 hours. I reckon I would enjoy Braid, but the price definitely puts me off as I can buy 2nd hand full games for less.
I was willing to pay 1,200 for Puzzle Quest (even though it's now 800) after trying the demo, as I read there's countless hours of gameplay. Which is certainly true.
But for this Braid I think I'll wait til it comes down in price... if it does.
Interesting read. I understand that the creator needs to get paid for making the game, and the 1,200 price tag should go some way in doing that. You can definitely tell alot of time and energy has gone into making it look like it does. Plus I have to say again, the music is great.
The original score was 5 out of 5, which (in a 100 point scale) could acually equate any value greater than or equal to 9.0.
I'm not sure that automatically giving it a perfect score when transferring it across the scales is a reasonable comparison. Surely if GTA IV got 9.5 and Orange Box got 9.3 (just 2 examples out of many), then both would surely have got 5/5 in a similar scale. So maybe Braid should actually be rated a little less than the ultimate example of gaming perfection also?
Don't remember this sort of comment appearing when Metal Gear 4 was getting lots of 10/10 reviews.
For an XBLA game this looks awesome and apparently the still screenshots don't do it justice, so any detractors saying that the graphics aren't up to much should go and look at the s**t that is Fat Princess first for true 8 bit visuals which would be embarrasing on a mobile phone.
I agree that 1200 points is quite expensive but if it's as good as the majority of reviews are saying then it's worth it in my books...was also very surprised to see Edge give it a '9' in this months issue and state that it is one of the finest original titles available.
1200 points? what's the problem! Portal sells for Ł25, and you're complaining over a measly 10. there are plenty of games that are utter ars in comparison which sell for full price. Ł10 straight away is a good deal.
Downloaded the game about 2 hours ago. First impressions? The game is every bit as good as the review says it is. Magnificent doesn't even begin to describe it. The puzzles are ingenious and are just as good as those in Portal.
In my opinion Braid is worth 1,200 Microsoft Points anyday. Try it - you won't be disappointed.
Had a go at the Trial, i really enjoyed it. Puzzles are fun and hard at times. 1200 i think isn't bad value, going to get full version when i have the points. Everyone should try it at least.
There's nothing punitive about Braid - no death, no failure, nothing to kick you in the crotch when you're having fun, just success and reward. Every stage so perfectly designed that failure isn't defeat, but rather an opportunity to try again and do it better. It's possible to head from the left to the right and reach the game's end, barely touching a puzzle nor using your abilities, should you fancy. Braid doesn't care how you play it, whether you see the whole story or whether you seek out every last puzzle piece to make it to the game's final world - the game doesn't care whether you see everything, only that you have fun with everything you see.
That sounds like the Nintendo school of game design and I like it, let the player put as much or as little effort as he wants and still feel rewarded. He can play for 10 minutes and relax and achieve things within the game world or he can delve deeper into it when he's feeling like it and still find things to do and enjoy. I wish more developers thought that way. That's not to say I don't want punishingly hard games, as long as it's appropriate for what it tries to be.
It definitely isn't worth 1200 points. It's not long enough to warrant that price. Some of the puzzles are quite taxing but they're not impossibly hard. I cleared everything except the time trial in about 3 hours or so and have no real reason to go back again now the puzzles are solved. Not worth a 10/10 for me. An 8 maybe. It's good but not a must-buy for 1200 points.
Really, get this game. Sell something if you have to. If Portal was on XBLA for 1200 points you'd get it without question. Same goes for this. It's just ingenious.
What are you doing reading this? Go and buy it NOW!
So? That just means Portal is over-priced too as a stand-alone game. There's also more replayability in portal plus free user-made maps on PC (which is where you're talking about buying it on it's own). And you could pick up a second hand copy of Orange Box on 360 for pretty much the same price as Braid and get 4 more games.
I cleared everything except the time trial in about 3 hours or so .
No you didn't. Unless you're telling me you found the hidden stars as well?
What hidden stars? If there's more to do in this game then I need to know so I can get back to it cos I don't feel I've got my money's worth so far. I don't just want to do the same puzzles again. I took the achievements as indicators of progress. If there's more than that then cool beenz.
I cleared everything except the time trial in about 3 hours or so .
No you didn't. Unless you're telling me you found the hidden stars as well?
What hidden stars? If there's more to do in this game then I need to know so I can get back to it cos I don't feel I've got my money's worth so far. I don't just want to do the same puzzles again. I took the achievements as indicators of progress. If there's more than that then cool beenz.
The original score was 5 out of 5, which (in a 100 point scale) could acually equate any value greater than or equal to 9.0.
I'm not sure that automatically giving it a perfect score when transferring it across the scales is a reasonable comparison. Surely if GTA IV got 9.5 and Orange Box got 9.3 (just 2 examples out of many), then both would surely have got 5/5 in a similar scale. So maybe Braid should actually be rated a little less than the ultimate example of gaming perfection also?
Don't remember this sort of comment appearing when Metal Gear 4 was getting lots of 10/10 reviews.
That's not the point I was trying to make. I am not commenting on the quality of Braid (having never played it) my only issue is in translating a 5/5 score directly into a 100/100 score.
Downloaded the trial. It was enjoyable but not worth 1200 points IMO.
800 I probably would have bought it. If only to see what the fuss is about with all these really high scores. But after the trial no way am I paying 1200 for it.
I cleared everything except the time trial in about 3 hours or so .
No you didn't. Unless you're telling me you found the hidden stars as well?
What hidden stars? If there's more to do in this game then I need to know so I can get back to it cos I don't feel I've got my money's worth so far. I don't just want to do the same puzzles again. I took the achievements as indicators of progress. If there's more than that then cool beenz.
This is not a recommendation, because I have not played the game... I just want it to succeed so it has more chance of ending up on PSN!
i just played the trial and honestly i don't see what all the fuss is about. i'd give it a 7.5/10 tops. the best part of the game (the trial at least) was the music, but i'm sure you can find some Clannad or Loreena McKennitt on ITunes for cheaper.
This is not a recommendation, because I have not played the game... I just want it to succeed so it has more chance of ending up on PSN!
i just played the trial and honestly i don't see what all the fuss is about. i'd give it a 7.5/10 tops. the best part of the game (the trial at least) was the music, but i'm sure you can find some Clannad or Loreena McKennitt on ITunes for cheaper.
You can't give the game a score based on the trial.
Just sat down for another go through the second level, i got another couple of puzzle pieces then BAM! White chequer board squares all over the screen.
Restarted the machine just to be greeted with RROD
I thought the elites would be better but they seem to be just as badly made as the original units.
I cleared everything except the time trial in about 3 hours or so .
No you didn't. Unless you're telling me you found the hidden stars as well?
What hidden stars? If there's more to do in this game then I need to know so I can get back to it cos I don't feel I've got my money's worth so far. I don't just want to do the same puzzles again. I took the achievements as indicators of progress. If there's more than that then cool beenz.
Really deserved, best downloadable game yet. Shame it's not coming to the ps3 as the ps3 psn network really needed this game, xbl has more than enough good ones already.
I cleared everything except the time trial in about 3 hours or so .
No you didn't. Unless you're telling me you found the hidden stars as well?
What hidden stars? If there's more to do in this game then I need to know so I can get back to it cos I don't feel I've got my money's worth so far. I don't just want to do the same puzzles again. I took the achievements as indicators of progress. If there's more than that then cool beenz.
I have four of the eight right now, and I'm trying to find the other half. Trust me, they've very tough to locate.
Found 2 so far. Looks like there is a bit of life left in this yet.
Where the hell are these stars coz ive not seen any?????
The two I found... well, 3 but I haven't figured out how to get to no.3 yet ... were all at the top of the screen. The screen doesn't scroll up until you actually get above the top line of the screen, and then only in certain places.
I cleared everything except the time trial in about 3 hours or so .
No you didn't. Unless you're telling me you found the hidden stars as well?
What hidden stars? If there's more to do in this game then I need to know so I can get back to it cos I don't feel I've got my money's worth so far. I don't just want to do the same puzzles again. I took the achievements as indicators of progress. If there's more than that then cool beenz.
I have four of the eight right now, and I'm trying to find the other half. Trust me, they've very tough to locate.
Found 2 so far. Looks like there is a bit of life left in this yet.
Where the hell are these stars coz ive not seen any?????
The two I found... well, 3 but I haven't figured out how to get to no.3 yet ... were all at the top of the screen. The screen doesn't scroll up until you actually get above the top line of the screen, and then only in certain places.
Cheers mate. looks like this game sgona take me a while
I hear a rumor that you have to start a new game for one of the stars cos you need some loose puzzle pieces or summat. Don't know the ins and outs of it cos I wanna discover it myself but that'll be quite annoying.
Difficulty aside it was a fantastic game, even if the story guff was stupidly pretentious, should have just stuck to the lovely homages. That said, the final level was absolutely fantastic.
Best game on XBLA? No, but it's up there with the best.
Sounds like a lot of people that have just tried the trial have missed the point. It's but one world and with each advancement in level the laws of the world changes. What was the norm in the previous world might be totally redundant in the next. The trial was a first (Basic) step into the world of Braid.
I understand why the review was hard to write as I've tried to explain it to a fair few people and I just don't know where to start.
1200 points was a big ask when I saw it but with SO many sites lavishing praise on it I decided to take the plunge and I think it's excellent. XBLA is a richer place for having Braid!
Back in the days of the Great Giana Sisters, Nintendo would have sued these guys' asses off for making a profit out of blatant copyright infringement.
So you have a little Jonathan Ross lookalike, and you have a rewind button, but otherwise... with the story and everything they were playing on the Mario thing.
I played the trial to the end, and would probably have bought this game except:
* For 1200 points you can get Jade Empire. This game is no Jade Empire! And in non-Xbox-original-games terms, it's definitely not three Space Giraffes!
* I hate the main character, because of what's written in the diaries. I really hate him. I think the princess is better off with Bowser even though he's spiky and breathes fire. And because it's of such a personal nature, I expect the original author is a jerk too, and I don't want to give him my money.
* I hate the Barney The Dinosaur clone too. Or maybe it's a fake Yoshi.
The music's nice though. Honestly the text is mostly what puts me off this game. If it had been released in Welsh or some other language I can't read, I'd probably think it was great.
Completed the main story and it does feel like Max Payne meets Mario with time control. WHAT A COMBO! I haven't had that much fun since playing the last mission on Halo for the first time! Is it worth Ł10 though? In terms of length, no. In terms of replayability, maybe. In terms of the experience, most definately. The story, the artwork, the puzzles all come together beautifully. If only Half Life 2 felt this thorough, it'd still be the number 1 game of all time...
Back in the days of the Great Giana Sisters, Nintendo would have sued these guys' asses off for making a profit out of blatant copyright infringement.
So you have a little Jonathan Ross lookalike, and you have a rewind button, but otherwise... with the story and everything they were playing on the Mario thing.
I played the trial to the end, and would probably have bought this game except:
* For 1200 points you can get Jade Empire. This game is no Jade Empire! And in non-Xbox-original-games terms, it's definitely not three Space Giraffes!
* I hate the main character, because of what's written in the diaries. I really hate him. I think the princess is better off with Bowser even though he's spiky and breathes fire. And because it's of such a personal nature, I expect the original author is a jerk too, and I don't want to give him my money.
* I hate the Barney The Dinosaur clone too. Or maybe it's a fake Yoshi.
The music's nice though. Honestly the text is mostly what puts me off this game. If it had been released in Welsh or some other language I can't read, I'd probably think it was great.
You do realise it's about the creation of the atom bomb?
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, UK BA1 2BW England and Wales company registration number 2008885
... were all at the top of the screen. The screen doesn't scroll up until you actually get above the top line of the screen, and then only in certain places.
