Braid Review

Braid is the new game developed almost entirely by Jonathan Blow.  After years of work and polishing it has finally been released.  Braid is a great example of what is possible through small scale gaming development.  With big budget triple-A titles risk is something avoided at all costs, and understandably so.  With so many millions of dollars on the line, everyone is going to push as hard as they can to make sure the end product fits whatever magic formula they think will translate into the most sales.  However, when you get smaller, less formal development teams (and in the case of Braid, pretty much just one person), it enables you to work with a much greater degree of flexibility.

At first glance Braid looks sort of like a Mario clone.  Normally the side-scrolling 2D graphics, castles at the end of the levels, slow-moving enemies to jump on, dangerous plants that pop out of green pipes, and the quest to save the princess would be evidence of an obvious knock-off, but not this time.  In Braid, all of this is intentional and it feels alright because it is all used to show you something much bigger.

So what, then, is Braid?  Anyone who’s played the game would tell you that’s a tricky question.  Beyond the typical elements of a 2D side-scroller, the concept of time is very important.  As you progress through the game various mechanics related to the manipulation of time are introduced.  Understanding and utilizing these mechanics is required to complete the tasks given to you.  These mechanics by themselves make Braid a game worth playing.  If this was all there was to the game, it would still be a good game because you are constantly required to master new and innovative mechanics that push way beyond were the genre normally exists.

The game delivers more than just new mechanics though.  It also tells an interesting story in a piecemeal way that serves to lead you forward while also perplexing you as you play through the game.  There are surprisingly serious concepts and life questions raised, often indirectly, which more than once caused me to pause for a moment.  The deeper you get the more you realize that nothing is quite what it seems.  After you think you’ve completed the game, I would encourage you to look up the game’s ending online and you’re likely to discover new things that you probably hadn’t been aware of.

All of this great gameplay and storytelling are enhanced by the audio and visuals.  The musical selection was perfectly chosen and did a superb job setting the overall mood of the game.  This is one of the best examples of using licensed music I can think of.  Beyond the track selection, the timing of everything seemed impeccably precise to what was happening in the game.  The artwork was one area where outside help was found and was done by David Hellman.  The artistic style provided a sense of transcendency which aided in the intentional vagueness of the story.

Braid is fun to play but its biggest impact is in getting you to think.  Beyond all the mystery and thoughtfulness of its story, it poses questions such as what is a game?  What are games supposed to do?  What are games supposed to be?  Braid shows that sometimes the questions are more important than the answers.

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