Braid: Time Travel Done Right

I recently had a chance to try out the PC, MAC, and XBOX 360 game Braid, and to say I'm pleased is a bit of an understatement. As with most games, I began playing with expectations. For Braid, they were somewhat low, considering I'm not much of a fan of two-dimensional games, especially platformeres; it seems they're about a dime a dozen these days. However, the minute I began playing, these expectations were shattered.

The most obvious of the reasons were the impressive graphics. Although they were two-dimensional, every level was beautifully detailed, every enemy was crisp and clear, and every animation was smooth. There were several times I'd just have to laugh because everything was so pleasant. Good thing, too; bad graphics might have made this game much less enjoyable.

Next, the story drew me in. The story itself was a little difficult for me to follow, but the way it was presented was brilliant. Before entering each world, you can run up to various story books, each of which give you a small piece of the puzzle. The story itself is not necessary since the gameplay is so straightforward, but it's there for those who want to take the time.

Where this game really shines, though, is in the very unique, innovative, and beautifully executed gameplay. The whole game revolves around the idea of time manipulation, and from the very beginning you are able to reverse time all the way back until you started the level. This adds a large amount of leniency to the game, since most mistakes can be undone. As the game progresses, each world allows a different ability. For example, in one world time always moves forward or backward at the same rate that you move right or left. In another, reversing time allows you to create a shadow of yourself that repeats your previous actions. Each one of these abilities is very well executed, and they never behave unexpectedly. Throughout the game, though, there are several doors, keys, monsters, etc. that are immune to your various abilities. These special objects blend beautifully with the various levels to create brilliant puzzles. Every puzzle is easy enough to execute once it's figured out, but hard enough to provide a very satisfying challenge. Most every puzzle is optional, since these are only done to collect puzzle pieces, but a certain number must be completed to unlock worlds.

Braid is an exceptional game floating in an ocean of mediocre copies. Games that blend beautiful graphics, great gameplay, and fantastic puzzles this flawlessly don't come around often, and all of this comes for a very reasonable price. All in all, there's no reason to miss out on this masterpiece.