Braid is desperately trying to be more than just a game; it wants to be art, but whether or not it achieves this lofty goal is up to the individual player. Players will find, at the very least, that it comes closer than most games. Even if Braid isn’t art, it still is unlike anything else on Xbox Live Arcade. At first glance, it appears to be a simple 2D platformer in the style of Super Mario Bros. When the game’s hero Tim begins his journey, the simplicity and familiarity of the controls seem to affirm this, but the unique graphics and music hint at something more. Once you first meet your demise and are prompted to manipulate time, Braid reveals itself to be much more than its platformer trappings suggest.
In reality, Braid is really a puzzle game within a platformer. The game is not about traversing levels. There is very little challenge in navigating the levels found throughout Braid’s six worlds. Instead, the challenge arises from trying to collect puzzle pieces found throughout the game. This involves much more than the standard running and jumping that defines the platformer genre. The only way to obtain each piece is by solving the puzzle of that level, and the only way to do that is by manipulating time. Tim has only three basic time powers -- the ability to rewind, pause and fast forward through time. Despite the fact that players never gain new powers, Braid still manages to surprise players by tweaking the rules in each world. The great variety of challenges helps keep the game fresh throughout its short single player campaign.
"In reality, Braid is really a puzzle game within a platformer."
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The range of difficulty in Braid is excellent. In every world, there are a few pieces that are easily obtainable as well as others that require more thought and experimentation. Braid’s most mind-bending moments come in the form of the one or two puzzles per world that may have players wishing they had a real life rewind ability, in order to recapture the time they invested searching for a solution. The game doesn’t offer many clues and sometimes expects players to do things they wouldn’t even consider, except as a last resort. This can be a problem as it occasionally turns the fun experimentation used to solve the puzzles into a frustrating sequence of trial and error. Tim’s power to manipulate time ensures that there is no punishment for failure, but attempting the same puzzle multiple times in quick succession can become tedious.
As mentioned earlier, Braid has wonderful graphics. The color palette changes radically from world to world and helps convey the mood of each part of the game. Braid’s environments are depicted using a unique watercolor aesthetic. Although not everyone will enjoy the character designs, others will find them to be quite charming and unique. There are many artistic touches throughout the game; like the fact that rain and leaves fly up into the air when a player rewinds.
The music is also unique. Those players expecting traditional arcade game tunes will be blown away by Braid’s music. Whether it’s the sounds of string instruments or the soft tinkling of a piano, Braid’s soundtrack subtly enhances the emotional impact of each level of the game. The music also contains some creative nuances, such as having the melodies play backwards when rewinding. The sound design is very minimalist, which is nice, as it doesn’t distract the player from the other aspects of the game. However, hearing the same sound effect from a particular enemy repeatedly due to the rewind feature can get annoying.
"...inventive puzzles, lush visuals and enigmatic story..."
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Braid’s story offers more than the traditional good vs. evil plot found in most video games. Before each world, players have a chance to read a few paragraphs about the particular theme of that world. Reading these vignettes is optional and not necessary to complete the game. Casual players will likely skip these and be content with the basic tale, Tim’s search to find his Princess. However, more thoughtful players will enjoy unraveling the metaphors and sub-plots throughout Braid’s interesting (and sometimes pretentious) narrative.
Until the final world and the epilogue, there isn’t much of a cohesive linear story. However, once players reach the end, they are treated to a powerful climax which pulls the story together with the game mechanics being used in an extremely creative way. When the epilogue follows, it adds further context to the story. Players may be disappointed with the fact that ninety percent of the narrative is contained in the ending sequence. Unfortunately, since players have to obtain all sixty puzzle pieces to access the final world, it is unlikely that the average player will be able to experience the emotional ending without the use of FAQs. Like any puzzle, it is necessary to see the game through to completion to fully understand and appreciate it.
Braid is by no means a perfect game. In addition to the flaws previously mentioned, the length might also be an issue for some players, especially if they don’t collect every puzzle piece. My play through took under five hours, but this might vary depending upon how long it takes some players to complete the more intricate puzzles. Braid also has little replay value. There is little satisfaction in completing a puzzle once a player knows the secret to its execution. There are more things to do after players finish the main game, such as time trials or collecting hidden stars to unlock an alternate ending, but they are pretty hardcore and won’t be appealing to the majority of players.
In the end, Braid’s flaws don’t keep it from being an exceptional and unusual game. While not everyone will enjoy its difficulty and style, it is a must buy at a meager 15 dollars for any gamer who enjoys games which requires them to think while being entertained. Whether the inventive puzzles, lush visuals and enigmatic story are enough to make Braid art is debatable, but having inspired such debate, likely means Braid has met its lofty ambition.
