Game Review: Braid (PC)

Braid is an indie game that was released back in 2009. Over the years, it has received much fanfare and has always been a game that I have wanted to try out. Although it is not a long game (it took me around 4 hours to complete), Braid was definitely worth the time invested in it.

The story follows a man as he makes his way through various worlds with the goal of saving his princess. His goal in each world is to collect pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. There are a total of five jigsaw puzzles, and thus five different worlds, to complete before he can find the princess. Throughout the game, the story is revealed through storybooks as you effectively play a silent protagonist who can do some quite cool things with the game mechanics.

The game mechanics involve the ability to turn time forwards or backwards. In later levels, these abilities are expanded with specific areas and items that are not affected by your time-manipulation and a portable slow ring that slows everything around it. Every puzzle in Braid offers a fresh environment and challenge so that things never become stale. The puzzles themselves are a good example of thinking as well as reflexes as you use your few actions (jump, change time) to try to get to areas that at first look inaccessible. Each different game world is built around a different game mechanic.

The game looks great. Although it is only a 2D game, each of the characters and animations are well done and look vibrant and alive. The games music and sound effects add to the experience. There is nothing that really makes each level look unique and the few enemies repeat themselves. However, due to the designer offering a fresh puzzle with every level and avoiding any levels as padding, and how well the graphics are done, the game never felt stale.

Due to the freshness of each level and the challenge of the levels, I can see why Braid received so much fanfare. The story is well presented and has a good ending. The game mechanics are well incorporated into the levels meaning you can do some interesting things in the game. Overall, Braid is allot of fun.

4.5 Time-Displaced Waffles out of 5.