Metareview - Braid (XBLA)

Capturing the essence of Jonathan Blow's Braid within a single sentence isn't the easiest thing to do, especially not if you want to avoid run-on monstrosities like: It's the game about a tie-wearing, time-traveling gentleman on a quest to rescue a princess, inconveniently held captive at the end of six beautiful worlds filled with all manner of puzzles which require fiddling with the flow of time to solve also it's really, really good according to reviews. So, let's go with "it's really, really good according to reviews" and leave it at that, eh?

IGN (88/100): "Xbox Live Arcade needs more games like Braid. Heck, gaming on all platforms needs more titles like this. Imaginative, innovative, and engrossing, Braid is a spectacular achievement. If only the experience lasted a little longer and there weren't as many puzzles with singular solutions."
Edge (90/100): "Braid remains a beautiful and brilliantly demanding game that barely contains its dense population of ideas, taking its place alongside Geometry Wars and Pac-Man Championship Edition as one of the finest original titles available on Live Arcade."
Eurogamer (100/100): "I've gone to bed thinking about Braid, and I've woken up thinking about it. From the fragments I remember, I'm pretty sure I've dreamed about it as well. Braid is that sort of game."

Braid

Reader Comments (79)

True, however, I'd hope people would know not to buy crappy products and vote for quality with their dollars.

@Gore on the floor

That's what worries me. I was actually pretty impressed with the demo, and felt urged to pick it up. But, I am worried that if I buy, I'll be one of the ones helping to send the message that $15 for a short platformer is a fair price.

It's the same reason I haven't bought Penny Arcade Adventures. I don't want to send the message that $20 is reasonable for 1/5 of a full game. Give me a reasonable price and you've got a sale.

This is one of the best games I have ever played period. Those who of you negatively judge this game based on superficial reasons should question your ability to judge quality.

Best $15.00 I ever spent. The gameplay alone is worth the price of admission. You literally feel your brain evolving with each puzzle. I felt euphoric after completing each level, not many games have given me that feeling.

Okay, now you're just brown-nosing!

I am not as soon as I completed the first two worlds I sent an instant message proclaiming this one of the best games ever to Ferdnando lol.

The sense of accomplishment melded itself into feeling of spiritual exuberance for me.

I'm liking that people are opennning to this game. Last time I came to Joystiq, things weren't as informed as before.
It's a great game. Worth your money. You money is not only being spent wisely, but also being spent to support a good cause....and hopefully, more good games will come thanks to sales of this game. Not only will Jonathan Blow make more games, but also other talented people will come "out of the dark" and take a chance on a good game rather than sell-out like everyone else is.
This games got heart...and that alone for me makes it goty (so far).

i'd like to know where the employement for the XBLA Hype Train is. Cause that sucker is out in full force today.

Umm I am first to say that 40% of the XBLA lineup sucks major ass, but I have to defend this game. Sorry.

choo! choo!

i bought it based on the hype. it's pretty damn good. if i was a patient man, i'd have waited for a price drop. i'm not.

i would have bought this if it was 400 points. sorry not 1200.

Your stinginess is pretty impressive, dude. Go flex those muscles in the mirror and think about how cool you are for not spending $15 to play a fun game and then telling the whole world about it.

I don't get why this game is so popular. To me it just seems like a Mario clone with elements of Prince of Persia thrown in. I may have bought it for 400 or mayber even 800 points, but 1200? You gotta be joking.

Funny I have played all of the Mario plaftformers and Prince of Persia games and this games feels nothing like those once you play through it.

Definitely will get it based on the comments here, but only when I get around to it. Too much stuff on my plate right now.

I had the same exact feeling last night. I also had the same feeling when I figured out how to get the other piece below it. Fantastic design. You literally feel your brain mushing about lol.

Also let me state DO NOT USE GAMEFAQS or other sort of hints online to pass the puzzles. It will deflate the entire purpose of this game which is to make you think outside the box. Even if you cannot figure a puzzle out after the sixth time, you will eventually get it.

You will get a sense of accomplishment that no other game comes close to lately. It's a short ridge, but a great one don't spoil it by getting the answers from an outside source.

"short ridge" I meant ride heh

Leobebes is exactly right. Anyone can beat this game without cheating by simply using logic and process of elimination. It's much better that way.

Damn yous! Now I've got to go get it. :)

Great, you guys convinced me to get it. I only have 2400 MS points left, so CC is no longer a buy. Hello, BCR :)

don't go crazy now. castle crashers is still the must buy here. I like Braid and all, and in about an hour when I get home I'll be right back in it, but castle crashers should be the priority here.

"I don't want to send the message that $20 is reasonable for 1/5 of a full game. Give me a reasonable price and you've got a sale." -- ChoochooCharlie

My problem exactly. I want it, but I feel that drawing a line on how short games can get (even more so than the price) and still expect to be sold is too important.

but then again, castle crashers could end up being 1200 points too... so you might luck out

Wow, and I thought I didn't have a life.

"You literally feel your brain evolving with each puzzle. I felt euphoric after completing each level"

Don't get me wrong I tried the Demo, and it's kinda fun. But all in all it's an overpriced 800 point game.

Let me get this right now... bring out enough crap games at 800 points, then one good game at 1200 points, then it makes it seem worth it. No thanks.

All credit due to the dev. for making a pretty good game, and I'm not telling anyone else how to spend their money, but I'll be keeping mine away from the over priced games thank you.

Whenever you have a couple exta bucks lying around snatch it up. I understand that gamers have to prioritize their cash in this shitty economy, but if you find some $15 lying around on the street buy this game and thank me later.

Pure genius. It's games like this that definitely take over your dreams. Remember playing Portal so long that you dreamt in 4 dimensions? This game will do that to you. Once you've dislodged your brain out of this reality and plonked it into Braid's, you'll find it hard to come back.

Best XBLA game I have ever played. I bought it about 3 minutes into the demo, it is incredible.

Played the demo for 15 minutes.... My brain melted with joy. I bought it immediately.

It's wonderful, original, mind binding and gorgeous.

Great game, except for one stupid broken level. "Fragile Companion 2" on World 4 is a buggy piece of crap. Takes like 10 tries to get the damn key up the ladder

Previous 50 Comments

Metareview - Braid (XBLA)

Braid

Reader Comments (79)

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:09PM Drace said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 4:46PM ChooChooCharlie said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 2:57PM leobebes said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:01PM Jacksons said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:04PM leobebes said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:01PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:13PM Aeikozz said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:42PM leobebes said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:52PM teamsammalone said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:15PM Aeikozz said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 4:09PM whymog said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:31PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:41PM leobebes said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:41PM AwesomeTown said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:45PM leobebes said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:48PM leobebes said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 3:49PM leobebes said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 4:10PM whymog said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 4:18PM vidguy said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 5:11PM xThePunisherx said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 5:50PM teamsammalone said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 5:20PM c0bra95 said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 5:52PM teamsammalone said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 6:31PM leo2178 said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 7:24PM leobebes said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 7:33PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 7th 2008 8:57PM Supermanisdead said

Posted: Aug 8th 2008 10:38AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 8th 2008 7:52AM jpcx01 said

Info

Description

MSRP

Release Date

Genre

Developer

Publisher

Rating

Breaking News

WB conjures up Harry Potter for Kinect this fall

Featured Stories

Silver Lining: I Am Alive's unfeeling world

Game Of Thrones and the paradoxes of adaptation

Super Joystiq Podcast 004: 38 Studios meltdown, Gravity Rush, Civilization 5: Gods & Kings, Dragon's Dogma

Engadget

TUAW

Massively

WoW