Braid (video game)

Braid (video game)

Infobox VG
title = Braid


caption = "Braid"'s title screen. The silhouette of Tim, the protagonist, can be seen to the left side of the bridge.
developer = Number None, Inc.
publisher = Microsoft Game Studios [ cite web| title=Xbox.com: Braid Xbox Live Arcade| publisher=Xbox.com | url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/b/braidxboxlivearcade/| date=| accessdate=2008-12-08 ]
designer = Jonathan Blow
artist = David Hellman
composer = (music licensed from Magnatune)
Jami Sieber
Shira Kammen
Cheryl Ann Fulton
resolution = 1080i
platforms = Xbox Live Arcade, PC
released = Xbox Live Arcade
August 6, 2008
PC
TBA 2008 [cite web|url=http://braid-game.com/|title=Official "Braid" website|accessdate=2008-09-03]
genre = Platformer/Puzzle [cite web|url=http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox360/62915/info.shtml|title="Braid" Page|publisher=GamePro|accessdate=2008-08-11]
modes = Single player
ratings = vgratings|BBFC=12|ESRB=E10+|PEGI=12+
media = Download

"Braid" is a platform/puzzle video game developed by independent software developer Jonathan Blow for the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade service. The title was officially announced for Xbox Live Arcade during Microsoft's Tokyo Game Show 2007 press conference and was released on August 6, 2008.cite web| title = Xbox LIVE Arcade Celebrates the “Summer of Arcade” with an Incredible Lineup of Blockbuster Games and Chances to Win Hot Prizes!| url = http://gamerscoreblog.com/press/archive/2008/07/28/xblasmrglgabncbrdgeo.aspx| accessdate = 2008-07-29|date=2008-07-28|publisher=Gamerscore] , at a price of 1200 Microsoft Points (15USD). [ cite web| title=Xbox.com: Braid Xbox Live Arcade| publisher=Xbox.com | url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/b/braidxboxlivearcade/| date=| accessdate=2008-08-10 ]

"Braid" won the "Innovation in Game Design" award at the Independent Games Festival in 2006.

tory

Braid features Tim, a man searching for a princess. His relationship with this princess is vague at best, and the only clear part of this relationship is that Tim has made some sort of mistake which he hopes to reconcile or, if possible, erase. As one progresses through the six worlds in Braid, storyline text at the beginning of each world provides further insight into Tim's quest for his princess. The themes evoked include forgiveness, desire and frustration.

The ending of the game is ambiguous, and has been subject to multiple interpretations. [cite web| title = Braid's Ending Explained| work = | date = 2008-8-12| url=http://www.oxm.co.uk/article.php?id=5666]

Design

"Braid" is played by solving physical puzzles in a standard platform game environment similar to that of "Super Mario Bros." with jumping and enemies. One of the fundamental game elements is the player's ability to reverse time and "rewind" one's actions, even after dying. There is no limit to the number of times that the player can rewind time. The game is divided into seven worlds, including an overworld in the form of the main character's house. The worlds are entered through doors in the house. Each world has its own time-based game mechanic:cite web|url=http://www.northcountrynotes.org/jason-rohrer/arthouseGames/seedBlogs.php?action=display_post&post_id=jcr13_1170707395_0&show_author=1&show_date=1|title=Exclusive Preview: Braid|author=jcr13|work=Arthouse Games|date=2007-02-07|accessdate=2008-08-11]

* "Time and Forgiveness": this section plays as an ordinary platform game, except that the player may rewind time to undo their actions. The section includes several challenges that would be unplayable or unfair in an ordinary platform game, but become trivial when the rewind mechanic is available. As such, it has been interpreted as an oblique ironic comment about traditional platform game design.

* "Time and Mystery": in this section, objects appear that are unaffected by rewinding. Rewinding can thus be used to change the synchronisation between objects that can and cannot be rewound, which is the basis of many puzzles in this section.

* "Time and Place": in this section, time is linked to the player character's location on the level. As the player moves toward the right, time flows forward; when moving toward the left, time flows in reverse, standing still will pause time. This sets up a large number of complex correspondences that must be managed.

* "Time and Decision": in this section, after the player rewinds time, a "shadow" of the player character appears and performs the actions that the real player character rewound. Puzzles in this section revolve around using this mechanic to carry out multiple actions at once. (A similar mechanic is found in the game "" and this mechanic was also used multiple times in the entries for a game design competition on Jay Is Games.)

* "Hesitance" provides the player with a magic ring which, when dropped, warps the flow of time around itself; the closer moving objects are to it, the slower time passes for them. This includes Tim. The regular rewind control remains available.

* The final world is untitled, but "1." appears in the main room of the world in place of the title. In this world time flows in reverse. Rewinding time returns the flow of time to its normal state.

Each stage contains puzzle pieces that must be collected to create jigsaw puzzles that tell the story, as well as to unlock the last stage. [cite web| title = Jonathan Blow at Free Play 2007| work = | date = 2007-11-06| url = http://www.sumean.com/Freeplay07JonathanBlow.wmv| accessdate = 2007-11-06] [cite web| title = Jonathan Blow on Quarter to Three | work = | date = 2008-6-5| url=http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showthread.php?t=44967] Upon completing the main game, a speedrun mode becomes available.

There are also eight stars hidden throughout the world of Braid that correspond to the stars in the constellation just outside the main character's house.

History and development

Though the environment is composed of relatively simple objects, the art is very elaborate and whimsical. The worlds and backgrounds were designed by David Hellman, who was responsible for the art in the critically-acclaimed webcomic "A Lesson Is Learned But The Damage Is Irreversible". The character visuals were originally created by Edmund Mcmillen, but were later redrawn by Hellman "to better match the now-predominant style of the backgrounds". [ cite web| title = David Hellman .net - Braid| url = http://www.davidhellman.net/braid.htm| accessdate = 2008-06-30]

During the game's three years of development, Blow put over $180,000 of his own money into the development of the game. cite web| title = Jonathon Blow says he spent $180,000 on Braid.| url=http://kotaku.com/5037392/jonathan-blow-says-he-spent-180000-on-braid |accessdate = 2008-08-16|date=2008-08-16|publisher=Kotaku ]

Blow withdrew "Braid" from the 2007 Slamdance Guerrila Games Competition in protest of the controversial "Super Columbine Massacre RPG!" being dropped from the competition.cite web |url=http://gamepolitics.com/2007/01/07/developer-pulls-out-of-festival-competition-in-protest-over-super-columbine-decision/ |title=Developer Pulls Out of Festival Competition in Protest over Super Columbine Decision |last=McCauley |first=Dennis | date=2007-01-07 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=GamePolitics.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] Several other developers including thatgamecompany and The Behemoth followed suit and later withdrew their games from the competition.

"Braid" features licensed music from Magnatune artists Cheryl Ann Fulton, Shira Kammen, and Jami Sieber.cite web | url=http://blogs.magnatune.com/buckman/2008/08/braid-video-gam.html | title=Braid video game launches to acclaim with Magnatune music | accessdate=2008-08-10 | date=2008-08-06 |publisher=Magnatune ]

Blow has expressed that he has no current plans to either release more levels or make a sequel. However he specified that "If another developer out there really likes the time mechanics and wants to make a game that uses them, and perhaps some new ones, with their own new level designs, then hey, awesome".cite web | url=http://braid-game.com/news/?p=301#comment-2465 | title=Creator has no plans for sequel | accessdate=2008-08-11 | date=2008-08-11 |publisher=Braid-Game.com ]

During an Interview with the Game Focus Podcast Blow said that a PlayStation 3 version of the game "might happen in the future". cite web| title = Braid for PS3 is a possibility // PS3 /// Eurogamer| url =http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=211849 |accessdate = 2008-08-13|date=2008-08-11|publisher=Eurogamer ] [cite web|url=http://computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=195047|title=A PS3 version "might happen in the future", says creator|last=Jackson|first=Mike |date=August 12, 2008 |publisher=Computer and Video Games|language=English|accessdate=2008-08-13] [cite web|url=http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2008/08/12/braid-on-ps3-a-possibility-wii-not-so-much|title=Braid on PS3 a possibility, Wii not so much|last=Webster|first=Andrew |date=August 12, 2008|publisher=Ars Technica|language=English|accessdate=2008-08-13]

Reception

VG Reviews
1UP =A+cite web| title = Braid XBLA Review| url =http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3169204 |accessdate = 2008-08-07|date=2008-08-06|publisher=1UP.com ]
Edge = 9/10
4players.de 9/10
EuroG =10/10cite web| title = Braid Review - Page 1 // Xbox 360 /// Eurogamer| url =http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=205102 |accessdate = 2008-08-07|date=2008-08-06|publisher=Eurogamer ]
IGN = 8.8/10cite web| title = IGN: Braid Review| url =http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/896/896371p1.html |accessdate = 2008-08-07|date=2008-08-04|publisher=IGN ]
TXB = 9.1/10http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1548/Braid/p1/]
OXM = 9/10
GamePro=9/10
GSpot=9.5/10cite web| title = Braid for Xbox 360 Review - Xbox 360 Braid Review| url =http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/braid/review.html |accessdate = 2008-08-08|date=2008-08-07|publisher=Gamespot ]
compilation = yes|
MC = 93% [http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/braid]
GR = 92% [http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/943284.asp] |

Upon its release onto the XBLA, "Braid" met with a very positive response from critics with an average review score of 93% at Game Rankings, with 1UP grading it an A+, and Eurogamer scoring it 10/10. Team Xbox gave it a 9.1/10 and GameSpot gave it a 9.5, making it the highest rated downloadable game in the site's history. IGN gave it an 8.8, citing its lack of replay value and short length. Nearly all the reviews praised the game for its innovation and unique art style, and sweeping musical score, while Eurogamer was "astonished" that it creates "an abstract emotional response" all "within the confines of a 2D platformer." "Braid" is currently the highest rated Xbox Live Arcade game on review aggregator website Metacritic, with a score of 93. [http://braid-game.com/news/?p=303] "Braid" was purchased by more than 55,000 people during the first week of release. [http://braid-game.com/news/?p=323]

ee also

*"Invisible Cities" ["I started the game with some very strong literary influences -- "Invisible Cities" is a book by Italo Calvino. It's a series of very short, three-to-four page pieces about different fictional cities that have different kinds of reality and different ways that they work. " http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3786/jonathan_blow_the_path_to_braid.php?page=3 ]
*"Einstein's Dreams"

References

External links

* [http://braid-game.com/ Official "Braid" website]
* [http://www.xbox.com:80/en-US/games/b/braidxboxlivearcade/ Official "Braid" Xbox.com page]


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