Braid - Video Game Review

Sometimes I reminisce about video games. Weird? Maybe, but I grew up playing them and since my PS2 broke down two years ago, I really miss them sometimes. I thought about splurging on a Wii or PS3 to recapture the chance to explore foreign worlds, even if it is through an avatar. Then I found Braid. I downloaded it on my Mac, paid a cool $15 for the license, and had a one-of-a-kind gaming experience without buying a whole new system.

Braid has everything I love about video games: stunning visuals, beautiful music, and – for lack of a better word- memorableness. I have never been so smitten by a game right away. Braid is a side-scrolling platformer that pays shameless homage to the original Mario Bros. You must hop on goombas, avoid piranha plants, and go through worlds searching for the princess. Though the object of the game is not to survive the level (like Mario). That is very easy to do because you are able to manipulate time in Braid, including rewinding so you never die. Braid is a game of genius puzzles that you must solve.

Each world has a few puzzle pieces to collect and, though they are very accessible at first, they soon prove to be quite tricky to reach. Each world reveals a new set of books with information about the character’s search for the princess. It is beautifully written and provides continuity and depth. If you ever get stumped (I did many times) do not resort to walkthroughs. It ruins the game. Often taking a few days or weeks off from the game allowed me to get back in and figure out how to solve puzzles I couldn’t. Be patient. It took me about 5 months to finish (with extensive breaks) and I had to check walkthroughs for a couple pieces (which I immediately regretted).

After finding all the pieces, the final world is unlocked. It is not difficult, but that is not its purpose. The final world is there to bring a narrative to a close. The ending is pretty surprising and a little confusing. I checked blogs to see how others interpreted it to better understand the game myself. I was very satisfied once I did understand it. Braid starts out as a simple but lovely story about the search for the princess, but becomes something much deeper in the end. Braid is a game with a moral. I don’t think I have ever played a game with a moral before. Braid may not be the fanciest car on the lot, but it’s got the whole package. It’s beautiful, deep, and a whole lot of fun.