Braid by Jonathan Blow is a masterpiece. Over the years there haven't been many games that deserve the title of masterpiece but this game is wonderfully realized. It's a puzzle game at heart with some platforming thrown into the mix. You play as the main character Tim on his search for his lost love. This sets up the basic structure for which the game throws you the player through a series of worlds, each one more challenging then the last. In a lot of ways the game draws heavily from the Mario games of the past. From the simple objective of save the princess right down to the platforming elements established in all the Mario series. The game seems to be a love song to Shigeru Miyamoto and a good one at that. Some people might be thinking about what makes this game so special then? Well although braid is inspired from the little plumper everyone loves so much this game is completely original. Braid is about the manipulation of time. Again there are many games that have used time as a game feature (e.g Prince of Persia) but there is no other game that successfully uses time the way Jonathan Blow does in Braid.
David Hellman's work is beautiful as the games only artistThis review aims to not to spoil any plot points so the story will not be discussed beyond the point of the initial introduction. Moving on, Braid unleashes you into this beautiful world that makes you feel like you have been strolling the Louvre. David Hellman has created an aesthetic that gives this game an identity all of its own. Sure it could be argued that there are technically superior games on the market in this day and age but there are not many games with this level of art direction. The visuals take nothing away from the gameplay as you leap over strange creatures on your search for keys. I truly hope we see more work from such a talented artist in the future. If anyone would like to see his life work they can check his website out at www.davidhellman.net.
The game looks better in motion
So its no secret that the game is an accomplished piece of art but everyone wants to know how does the gameplay stack up to such visual delight. Well Jonathon has not let people down when it comes to satisfying gameplay. The player progresses through the game by collecting a key which opens up the door to the next area. That doesn't sound so exciting at first but its the way in which the key is attained which holds the pure genius of this game. For example, you see a key at the bottom of a spiked pit. So you think to yourself there is no way that key can be gained without death. But you would be wrong because in the world of braid you can go back in time but not in the traditional sense. You can jump into the pit and land on the key and effectively ending your own life but just reverse time and take your life and key back to the top with you.
That key is mine!
Braid was created by an indie man but after this game he is truly a professional with some serious ideas to sake up the video game industry. Braid is one of the highest rated PC and xbox live games available on the market today and gives blockbuster games a run for their money in terms of quality and originality. The game can be completed within 3-5 hours which spans over 5 worlds and one secret (It's mind blowing). That time frame may seem on the short side but its quality of quantity as they always say. If your looking for an experience that will test your brain and shatter your expectations on what a video game can provide beyond the odd explosion, then you must play this game. It was created by one programming, one artist and an incredible amount of heart.
Positives:
- Perfect art direction
- Touching story
- Time manipulation and level design genius
Negatives:
- The game can be difficult
Verdict:
9.5/10
View trailer at http://braid-game.com/
The game looks better in motionSo its no secret that the game is an accomplished piece of art but everyone wants to know how does the gameplay stack up to such visual delight. Well Jonathon has not let people down when it comes to satisfying gameplay. The player progresses through the game by collecting a key which opens up the door to the next area. That doesn't sound so exciting at first but its the way in which the key is attained which holds the pure genius of this game. For example, you see a key at the bottom of a spiked pit. So you think to yourself there is no way that key can be gained without death. But you would be wrong because in the world of braid you can go back in time but not in the traditional sense. You can jump into the pit and land on the key and effectively ending your own life but just reverse time and take your life and key back to the top with you.
That key is mine!Braid was created by an indie man but after this game he is truly a professional with some serious ideas to sake up the video game industry. Braid is one of the highest rated PC and xbox live games available on the market today and gives blockbuster games a run for their money in terms of quality and originality. The game can be completed within 3-5 hours which spans over 5 worlds and one secret (It's mind blowing). That time frame may seem on the short side but its quality of quantity as they always say. If your looking for an experience that will test your brain and shatter your expectations on what a video game can provide beyond the odd explosion, then you must play this game. It was created by one programming, one artist and an incredible amount of heart.
Positives:
- Perfect art direction
- Touching story
- Time manipulation and level design genius
Negatives:
- The game can be difficult
Verdict:
9.5/10
View trailer at http://braid-game.com/
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