Braid, Anniversary Edition

good indie title
fan favorite of many with an enormous influence on later titles in the indie industry, would certainly recommend for anyone looking forward to discovering a nifty piece of the aforementioned industry

One of the greats of an era of greats. Glad to play the remaster, though the improvements appear invisible. Which, I think, is good.

genius game design, puzzles are satisfying, poignant story

Many many years since its breakaway success in 2008 and it is clear for me that it isn't some deep seated masterpiece that goes in a hall of fame.
HOWEVER, the level design and the progression/layering of the time control mechanics are sublimely paced and simply 'pure yoy' to play through and earn those juicy aHA moments.
Along with the vivid and painterly artwork, which have been lovingly restored, it makes for a rock solid puzzle platforming experience.

Don't think too hard about the story or meaning of the game - the creator isn't good at engaging writing, but back then everyone with a passion for the larger gaming medium were desperately looking for narrative and story that went beyond blockbuster aspirations and so it got a lot of undue/unbalanced credit for that.

At its core, Braid is a puzzle-platformer, but to call it just that would be an understatement. The game plays with the concept of time in ways that are as inventive as they are challenging. Each world introduces a new twist on time manipulation—be it rewinding, parallel timelines, or objects immune to temporal effects. These mechanics aren't just gimmicks; they are deeply interwoven into the puzzle design, demanding both creative thinking and precise execution. Solving each puzzle feels like a revelation, a moment of intellectual triumph that few games can replicate. And best of all, each one of those little revelations is BY DESIGN. Many of these little tricks the developers use can be willingly "spoiled" to you if you follow the commentary.

Speaking of, the developer commentary offers a rare glimpse into the mind of Jonathan Blow and all the wonderful people who came together to help make this game as brilliant as it is. These commentaries are a treasure trove for anyone interested in game design, shedding light on everything from level construction to the game's thematic underpinnings. Whether you’re experiencing Braid for the first time or revisiting it after many years, this edition is a reminder of why it remains a benchmark for artistic and intellectual excellence in gaming. It is a remarkable piece of media that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys pushing the boundaries of their problem solving skills.

The art style always turned me off, but I thought I'd give the remaster a try and pay homage to the game that started Xbox Arcade and indie all those years ago... I have 47 minutes in this game at the time of review and managed to complete and solve world 2. Getting those last two puzzle pieces in world 2 was just an amazing puzzle to solve and was beautiful when I figured it out. Sold this game on me completely. This game is an absolute masterclass in game design.

An engaging platform game with stunning visuals and immersive environments. Some levels will truly challenge your brain, making it all the more rewarding. Give it a try!

A great remake with amazing graphics and sound improvements. The narrations add a lot of depth for people interested in the game design and philosophy.

This has been my first time playing Braid and I'm stuck between saying "how have I never played this before!" and thinking that it's for the better now that I can have more mature approach to the story with my own interpretations.

Braid isn't just a puzzle game, but also a game filled with plenty of symbolism. Each world tells a different chapter of the story while introducing new mechanics... mechanics that I think are tied to the story itself.

The puzzles are great and the game requires no tutorial, which is honestly so mind-blowing. Each mechanic is introduced in a manner where you have enough time to experiment with it's core rules and how to apply them on the levels. And when the solution still isn't evident and you get stuck, you can simply progress further and, by doing so, see a new perspective and deepen your understanding. Which on it's own is rather symbolic: how in life you don't have a strict list of events and you can revisit some while being more knowledgeable.

And since I keep mentioning symbolism, it's time to talk about exactly that. I'll be focusing on my interpretations as to avoid spoiling anything.

Braid tells a story about committing mistakes and learning from them while in a relationship. Not all mistakes can easily be fixed and there's things that persist even tho we're doing better. Sometimes nothing will change if we stand still, but trying to move will be so confusing it might create an appearance of regression, something we can't judge properly in the moment and yet have to be really careful about. Or how certain things will happen even tho we took steps to avoid them, but since we're already aware of them we can try our best to act accordingly.

And how we might only only realize certain things while reminiscing about the past, after it all happened. Whether it is to think back with fondness or regret. To sort out our feelings, to learn that things might've been different than they seemed to be, to realize we've forgotten how we thought in certain situations, and how we only really understood one side of the story...

Overall I'm so glad I finally got around playing Braid. This review only covered the game itself and not the commentary. I might update the review once I get over the commentary, which I will as I'm an aspiring game developer and would love to create experiences that can reach others as well.

I have the original version of braid but could never finish it because i changed my system from pc to mac.
i fell in love with this game when i saw "indie game: the movie" where it was featured many years ago.
now i found this remaster by pure accident and it also works on mac!
i play it on a mac mini m2 with a xbox controller (wireless).
it works right out of the box.
this is my early xmas present, i will have some cosy gaming sessions now.
thx to the devs for doing this remaster i really love this game <3

I didn't play the original game back in the day, it released when I was 7 and at that time I played only free2play stuff or other local pirated games. So I heard about Braid only after and since then remembered that there is such a game and it's awesome. Still, I for some reason never tried it myself. And now when I was digging more into Jonathan Blow himself, watched "indie game the movie" and learned about his views on programming and other life topics I found out that he is, with a team, preparing anniversary edition. So I started to wait for the preorder. Preordered it. And... I finished it on release day in a couple of hours. For some reason, somehow, I felt like this game touched my soul, I felt strange warmth. It was unusual, cause I never felt something so intimate from a game before. Even though I didn't catch all the deep meanings of it, like reference to Hiroshima and Nagasaki through boss fight and the release day of the original game, which I learned after watching one specific video on youtube 👀 still, as I said, it managed to touch me deeply. I personally didn't tried every commentary lvl right away, but as a gamedev myself I admire Jonathan and his views, and I see these commentary lvls as a knowledge book for the craft of creating video games, so I definitely will go back to it in nearest future. As for the game itself, the new graphics are just gorgeous, switching back the original ones in just 1 key press is cool to see the difference. And honestly, the new version is a cut above the original. The music, it's just fitting so fucking good to the whole atmosphere and feeling of the game, it's just beautiful. Gameplay and puzzles sometimes gave me mixed feelings. From time to time I was thinking that I completed the level in a not intended way, cause I was trying and trying my own solution instead of finding the "right one", so I don't know if I really did something "wrong" or it's just one of the ways to play. Other than that the levels sometimes are easy, sometimes intriguing, and not that straightforward, and sometimes they are really hard and make you just stay for minutes to think of all options you have on that level and how to use them. Really great puzzles overall. So if, for some reason, you, like myself, never played the original, you definitely just MUST give it a try, it's truly is a classic of video games as a whole. If you played the original and liked it, I think you should buy it as well, new levels to solve + see old ones with updated, remarkable, it's not even graphics at this point, it's just drawings (style of the game is awesome btw) and replay this masterpiece after years, personally I would do just that in couple of years. It's a shame that, not just only visual, remaster of such a good game with detailed commentary on different topics (programming, art, design, sound, etc.) sold so poorly. I highly recommend Braid and am looking forward Jonathan's sokoban in the future. Hope it would do great, so we will all see more games from such a visionary person!

This is an excellent game development tool to be honest. The developer commentary system has wayy too much effort put into it. Definitely worth if you are interested in that.

It also comes with a great puzzle game that uses variations of the classic time travel mechanics with a very weird and incomprehensible story.

My favourite game of all time. The anniversary edition is great, extra world brings fun NEW levels!

Beautiful art rework. The addition of commentary shows the brilliant game design and concepts that Jonathan and the studio went through to make this possible.

This game is great, but this upgrade is not worth it if you have already played the previous version

Too stupid for this game. Still enjoyed it tho, good palate cleanser.
I think the new graphics elevate the depressing & gritty atmosphere to the next level; much better sound quality & music than in the OG release.

Truly one of the most beautiful and brilliant games of all time. This is a must have for puzzle platformer fans looking for a challenge!

A buetifally astetic for a game the developer commantary is alone 10 hours of just learning the process if you look into the story you can see the twists and lies that it takes you down amazing game worth the price

This game is simply perfect, a true masterpiece.
All the elements fit together flawlessly: story, visuals, soundtrack. Everything contributes to a magnificent experience.

Note: I’ve been in love with this game since childhood, as I used to watch my brother play it. Over the years, I had almost forgotten about it, but finding it here and finally playing it myself, I can confidently say it’s an incredible game.

I have no doubts about recommending it.

Great game, but my only problem is that the price feels just a bit too much. On even a slight sale buying this game is a no brainer.

The most amazing thing about this game is the graphic.
puzzles not that much even boring at some times.

A great way to revisit this classic game. The developer commentary is a nice touch, but I wish there was an easier way to listen to all of them. Sitting in a level for 5 minutes jumping around isn't always the most fun.

Amazing puzzle game, Played this way back when and then now. better visuals for todays standards. all in all great game.

Good game, but consider buying it on sale if you've played the previous one, as the changes are minimal.

This game remains as great and important and impactful as the first time around.

Braid it's still one of the best puzzle games ever made. The level designs and creativity in every world it's impressive even years later. And this version brings even more content. It's the best for old and new fans!!!

Still fun to play after all those years, although the 'magic' of indie-games isn't the same it was back in the day when the game initially was released.

guy who makes this is antivax and thinks woman are biologically averse to programming so fuck him but this game was incredible.

this is the perfect puzzle game difficulty. not easy but also no guides needed. clearly a landmark puzzle game but also still a great game with all the legacy removed.

Jonathan Blow is a good philosopher but a bad game designer...

There are two parts to Braid, one is an incredible 10/10 game, and the other is a needle in a haystack.

On the surface Braid is a perfect game. It is beautiful to look at, the puzzle are ingenious, and the soundtrack is incredible. This game was featured in Indie Game: The Movie (2012), and was used to heavily promote Xbox Live Arcade in 2008. This surface part of the game where you are collecting puzzles through six worlds is worth both the time and the money. This puzzle game is on the same level as Portal, Antichamber, or Fez.

The needle in a haystack portion consists of the stars, the commentary, and the speed run. There are game-beyond-the-game segments where you really get to know the designer, Jonathan Blow. Here you have some incredible ideas (the needle) but they are mired with multiple elements (the haystack) that don't respect the player's time. Jonathan Blow views this game as "multidimensional" with puzzles that are deep and rich with meaning, but he is too comfortable wasting the player's time in order to communicate that meaning.

Here are some examples: The stars are hard-mode puzzles, but one of them takes two hours of waiting, and another is missable which requires you to restart your entire save if you want to try to acquire it. The commentary is new but it is over-bloated and presented in a way where you can't just sit back and enjoy it, or actively engage with it. The experience is like listening to a 20-hour conference seminar where you are forced to switch seats every 3-5 minutes on average. The speed run returns from the original 2008 game, but must be completed in a single 45 minutes, meaning that you have to 100% memorize all of the puzzles in order to run them perfectly, which will ruin the player's ability to come back years later and experience the puzzles again once the solution has become a fuzzy near-forgotten memory.

Braid is a game that I would recommend, but I would be hesitant to ever suggest that someone complete the entire thing. There is a new world 7 puzzle that is sitting at 6.5% completion, which shows there are some obvious mistakes in the design. Jonathan Blow doesn't mind this consequence, and leans into it by calling those rare players the "special forces". My (hopefully constructive) criticism comes from my experience being one of those few players. However, even I have to admit that attitude displays a level of pretentiousness that the majority of players who actually enjoy the game will be put off by. The time wasting elements feel more like an incomplete sketch rather than a polished painting.

amazing story and gameplay

filtered tbh

So, "Braid, Anniversary Edition", a remaster and overall improvement over the original "Braid" from 2008 about a guy trying to find the princess with the help of his time rewind abilities.

I wouldn't say that I have any nostalgia for it. Even if I watched a few videos here and there back in early Youtube, I barely parsed what I was looking at. If you require any more evidence, I played the original Braid almost exactly one year ago (which is impressive).

First off, I love puzzle games. They scratch one of my many itches, when they have a just right difficulty curve it feels great, and they usually don't overstay their welcome. Braid does all of this with an additional subtext to having done one very big mistake and requiring us to look for this allegedly existing princess.

The rewind mechanics were so much fun to play around with, even if some mechanics took me a while to fully comprehend, and at the end of every puzzle I felt overjoyed and shocked upon learning how things worked, and by the end I was left with a pretty open ending. Whatever the fuck did everything mean in the end? Was Tim a dickhead? Yup. Was the princess a dickhead? Yup as well. Were they both part of a floundering relationship because they just didn't know how to properly communicate with one another? The most plausible thing to have possibly happened, yeah. And then I was done, and I was satisfied for a good while.

...It's strange, but even though I didn't talk about the game much after playing it, just seeing that there was going to be a remaster brought me so much joy.

So here I am, 22 hours later. Was it worth it? Hell yeah brother.

60 + 12 bonus puzzle pieces / 10. Can't wait for Braid 2 in 2038.

More of the same, still amazing

i wanted to taste that princess's peach but i got distracted by all of the fantastic puzzles, the commentary puzzles made it much better and the art style is what you can call REAL ART
8/10

Love this game. Works native on apple silicon

Ironic. A game where the main character can rewind time to forget what he did.

I haven't played the original Braid, and since I can't go back in time like the protagonist, I played this excellent Anniversary Edition, which is essentially a remaster. You can still switch to the original version by pressing one button, but the remaster is definitely more beautiful and also includes new soundtracks. The puzzles are smart and quite challenging, except for a few that are pure nonsense. The story is a bit confusing at first, but there is a twist at the end that makes it slightly more understandable. This version also includes extensive developer commentary. While it might be a bit too much for the average player, it can be useful for aspiring developers.

The Braid you know and love with 50 extra hours of yapping.

Classic and very cute platformer.

IT'S LIKE MARIO FROM THE FUTURE

Braid is, by all accounts, a "smart" game.

Genuinely, as someone playing this for the first time in 2024, I've been told over and over by video essayists and the gaming community at large that Braid is a "smart" game, and it is.

But, how far does that get you?

This is a really unfortunate situation because this Anniversary edition of Braid might have actually made it so Jonathan Blow has to shut down his studio, which is a really sad reality of the current games market. That being said, I really feel as though making a remaster of Braid with a GDC talk hidden inside was kinda a misread on the current market.

Beyond the game itself, the big selling point of this edition of Braid is the commentary world, which is a clever way to include developer commentary, but it has a few flaws that make it difficult to enjoy. First of all, its split up and segmented, which is nice, but I can't pause a dev comment or listen to the commentary on my way to work like I could with any of the many GDC talks that Jonathan Blow has given. The commentary here *is* interesting, but having to go step by step in order to hear game design ideology within Braid is a bit tedious compared to a Youtube video. An inconvenient GDC talk isn't really a great selling point, which is one of the many reasons I imagine this didn't sell particularly well.

I picked this up on sale for 5$ and I imagine thats where a lot of the sales for this edition of Braid come from, because as interesting as Braid is for a first playthrough, this does not strike me as the kind of game that you replay over and over again.

"What if Mario was an incel" is an interesting twist, but there are some parts of this that are just very much, in the words of a friend of mine, Blow attempting very hard to be seen as an auteur developer capable of creating games that mean something. I think do a degree he has cultivated that image for himself, but he also goes and argues with people in comments sections he doesn't belong in which doesn't help when people call him a pretentious asshole. The clip of Soulja Boy laughing at Braid while Blow sits in a black room from that documentary lives rent free in my head. Soulja Boy might not have fully understood Braid, but I don't think there's a ton to miss out on here.

The time rewinding mechanic is interesting, and at the time this originally came out I imagine it was really top of the line, but in 2024, clever only gets you so far. I think the one thing that Blow kinda miscalculated with this is that, while interesting in theory and fun to talk about, Braid isn't a ton of fun to play past a certain point. There are some puzzle piece solutions (collectible extras) that are legitimately just stupid ways of manipulating the mechanics in ways that are not only not obvious, but also borderline absurd to even consider, and yet they are the solution to the puzzle. One in particular where you have to somehow know that your shadow version of yourself jumps a little further than you really do in order to bait it into opening a door so you can save your own key for the door behind it is... well its a bit annoying. With zero shame, I had to google some of the solutions and genuinely never would've gotten them had I not.

Braid is, by all accounts, a "smart" game. I'm just not all that sure its fun. Worth a pickup for the experience, but buyer beware of a bloviating Blow-hard.

https://store.steampowered.com/curator/42143664/

Braid: Anniversary Edition is a remake of one of the most intelligently designed games in the indie scene, boasting enhanced graphics and sound that breathe new life into this classic. The addition of a new level, complete with developer commentary, adds an intriguing layer to the experience.

However, navigating this new level can become quite tedious if players aim to listen to all the included comments. While the developer commentary provides valuable insights, it occasionally veers into overly long discussions, taking the form of podcasts or interviews with other industry creatives, which may detract from the gameplay experience.

A notable positive feature is the ability to switch between current and original graphics and sound in real time, without loading times. This allows players to appreciate the evolution of Braid while retaining the nostalgic feel of the original.

Beyond its Anniversary Edition features, Braid remains an excellent game, filled with brilliant puzzles that challenge players to think outside the box. The satisfaction of solving these puzzles keeps motivation high, reinforcing the game's legacy.

While some may find the graphics a bit simplistic, the artistic style is beautiful and occasionally reminiscent of recognized works of art. The sound design is fantastic; manipulating time in reverse or altering its speed creates an immersive experience, with music and sound effects that seamlessly adapt to the gameplay.

The story unfolds through cryptic and often challenging texts, which can be difficult to grasp at times. However, the final level serves as a compelling twist that clarifies the narrative, revealing that the protagonist is not a hero, but rather the opposite.

The core mechanic of time manipulation is exceptionally well implemented, applying physical and mathematical concepts that enhance the gameplay experience.

In conclusion, Braid: Anniversary Edition successfully revitalizes a classic while offering new insights and experiences. Despite some pacing issues with the commentary and the cryptic nature of the story, it remains a masterclass in puzzle design and artistic expression, making it a must-play for fans of the genre.

Awesome game. They did improve the graphics.

Why pull the better playing and more accessible OG game? I'm gonna have to give a negative review just because how poorly optimized this game is. My gaming laptop shouldn't struggle to put out 40-60fps at 1080p on a 15 year old game. I get it... it's got more particle effects. YAY! My laptop can play Borderlands 3 better than this game... WTF? Poorly optimized money grab. What was once my favorite and most recommended game is now fodder for the pocket of Mr. Blow's inability to recreate magic. Maybe don't try so hard Jonathan.

Again, I heavily recommend the OG release of this game. Which is no longer available on Steam thanks to this re-release.

A unique twist with its time-manipulation mechanics. Players control Tim as he searches for a princess, but the story reveals deeper themes of reflection and consequence. While the gameplay is clever and challenging, one frustrating aspect is the way the music rewinds along with time, which can become quite irritating during repeated puzzle attempts. Despite this, Braid offers a memorable and thoughtful experience with its hand-drawn visuals and reflective narrative, making it a game worth experiencing for fans of puzzle-platformers.

If you enjoyed Braid, there's a lot more of it here!

I never played the original so this review will be from that perspective. Braid is a fantastic puzzle platformer, it has a ton of cultural significance as far as the games industry goes. It showed very early on that as an indie you can make games unique and strong enough to stand on their own.

Even many years later Braid still shows that this is possible. Its mechanics still feel unique and robust. The whole game is centered around manipulating time, even though you only have 1 button to do so, every world ends up offering new mechanical changes to keep everything fresh. It constantly offers genuinely hard puzzles that are generally pretty fun to solve. The only problem I have is that some of these puzzles feel so incredibly complicated because it plays with concepts that the game never tried to introduce to the player, you as a player have to just take what the game gives you an keep experimenting until you find an answer.

This game does everything id want from a puzzle platformer. It offers real challenge, looks beautiful and sounds relaxing. Its short but offers non stop new content in the short amount of time its here. Its story is interesting to read through and thankfully doesn't get in the way of the main game. The new version adds new graphics which look fantastic, if at any point you want to see the original graphics you can just press a button, comparing the 2 really shows how beautiful the game back then was and how far they were able to push it this time. As a new player I wholeheartedly recommend braid at its full price point, its an extremely polished game that offers entertainment that truly could only be possible through the video game medium.

But what he's got, now, feels like an acceptable start.

If you have played Braid, then you know what this is. It's Braid! And if you're like me, enough time has passed to make it an enjoyable experience.

If you haven't played Braid, it's a great puzzle platformer with time control mechanics. It's a game that makes you feel like a genius when you finally figure it out, but it also requires you to occasionally set it aside if you're stuck because your brain can get fixated on a wrong line of thought and you just need time away before you can come at it fresh and then... aha! You get it!

I rarely finish games. I super rarely finish games twice. I've now finished this game twice. To be clear, it's not replayable. It's just that after 16 years (wow, that's a long time) I managed to forget enough about the puzzles.