Braid

[Young Al Capone]

What, No straight up Braid thread?

Fine, that's fine. I'll start one myself.

So, I want to discuss Braid since I completed it last night. I felt it was a most excellent game, but not nearly as mindfuck inducing or revolutionary as people were saying. Spoilers Ahoy.

The story was interesting, but rather hard to follow. I am pretty sure I at least got the point of it, but not entirely. Something about searching for the Princess while she was right there the entire time, though the Princess could be a metaphor for any number of things, and by the time he noticed her she hated him. As a result his life was in shambles but he could start picking up the pieces and rebuild, one piece at a time. Maybe...

The game was very good, utilizing simple controls and a simple mechanic to build an excellent world filled with great gameplay. I still didn't think there was anything particularly revolutionary about it. It was a puzzle platformer, just done exceptionally well. There were some moments that required out side of the box thinking, which I appreciate. Still, I didnt think any of the solutions were any more outside the box than say, Portal.

Obviously I hold this game in high regards though, comparing it to Portal.

Graphically it is a sight to behold, beauty simply oozed from it, and it is hard to make beauty ooze.

All that said, I do agree that this raised the bar for downloadable games. It was an exceptionally well realized game for being a downloadable one, something I would have been happy to pay full price for on a handheld, but sold on the cheap and downloadable.

Edit: and oh yeah, none of the puzzles made me feel smrat for completeing them.

[quidmonkey]

Some Blow (http://www.avclub.com/content/blog/game_designer_jonathan_blow_what) comments

[fitbabits]

Braid = Overrated nonsense.

[AgtFox]

I have to say that my review over at EvAv for this game was, in my mind, one of the best ones I've ever written. I did not think from the demo that I would like the game that much, but I did.

[AgtFox]

Braid = Overrated nonsense.
Don't listen to James, let him go back to playing Dead Space :D

[Troggles]

I really should finish this game sometime. I am currently on the stage where you can set down the time slowing bubble.

[fitbabits]

Don't listen to James, let him go back and play Dead Space :D
Fine.

Don't listen to me, kids.

Really, don't.

Clearly I have no taste as I dislike Zero Punctuation and Braid - probably in equal measure.

[Young Al Capone]

Clearly I have no taste as I dislike Zero Punctuation and Braid - probably in equal measure.

Don't forget Seinfeld, you don't like Seinfeld either.

[diablopath]

Don't forget Seinfeld, you don't like Seinfeld either.

I hated Braid too.
I can understand not liking Zero Punctuation.
...but Seinfield?

Do you also enjoy giving unrequested abortions?

[Johan]

Braid = Overrated nonsense.

Oh boy, do I AGREE!

I will take my exit from the thread on that note. :)

[Young Al Capone]

Even if the story did nothing for you, you didn't like the gameplay or puzzles?

I agree that the game is overratted, but it is still a great game.

[fitbabits]

Don't forget Seinfeld, you don't like Seinfeld either.

Believe me, I've tried for many, many years to forget...

[fitbabits]

Even if the story did nothing for you, you didn't like the gameplay or puzzles?

I agree that the game is overratted, but it is still a great game.
This is personal preference, of course, but I felt completely and emotionally numb playing it. The music turned me off, the visuals didn't do anything for me, and the gameplay felt extremely stiff.

[Young Al Capone]

Hm, well, that is the wonderful thing about personal preference.

I felt almost completely opposite, I loved the music and thought it complemented the game perfectly, thought the game was beautiful and thought it played wonderfully.

Reading that Blow interview though, he seems to have "artiste" syndrome. It is ok though, I don't need to like the guy to appreciate his work.

[fitbabits]

Hm, well, that is the wonderful thing about personal preference.

I felt almost completely opposite, I loved the music and thought it complemented the game perfectly, thought the game was beautiful and thought it played wonderfully.

Reading that Blow interview though, he seems to have "artiste" syndrome. It is ok though, I don't need to like the guy to appreciate his work.
Personal preference is, indeed, a wonderful thing. Especially when you are encouraged to have and voice your opinions without fear of reprisals.

On Blow, I've read and heard statements from him that really get under my skin. Thankfully I read and heard these statements after I'd formed an opinion on Braid, so there was no bias for me.

[cp#]

Braid = Overrated nonsense.

Best $15 I never spent

[Widgetcraft]

I loved the game, for many reasons. The art style and music are, in my mind, the best we've seen in this decade. The story is interesting, though a bit pretentious, and kept me going full-force through the whole game. The mechanics are interesting as well, though the puzzles can be a bit ludicrous in two or three sections. The length was perfect for the price, coming in at 5-6 hours on the first play through; beating the game also unlocks a speed run mode, if you're into that kind of thing (I'm not).

Certainly one of the highlights of the XBLA platform, for me at least. I've never been so immersed by a platformer.

[fitbabits]

I loved the game, for many reasons. The art style and music are, in my mind, the best we've seen in this decade.

You know this decade has already had the likes of Shado of the Colossus, ICO, Patapon, etc...

[Young Al Capone]

I loved the game, for many reasons. The art style and music are, in my mind, the best we've seen in this decade. The story is interesting, though a bit pretentious, and kept me going full-force through the whole game.

So what did you make of it?

I remember someone saying that it was insulting over at PiRi, and I wanted to discuss it.

Certainly one of the highlights of the XBLA platform, for me at least.

I agree, this raises the bar for content created specifically to be released through systems like XBLA.

[Young Al Capone]

Feel free to ignore the "plot", it's insulting.

There is the quote, now where is Savok to explain it?

I cannot even imagine what he means by this, or why some people have been calling the story line an affront to gamers everywhere.

[Urizen]

You know this decade has already had the likes of Shado of the Colossus, ICO, Patapon, etc...

Braid is overrated nonsense, but Patapon gets the nod as one of the best uses of art style and music this decade?

Whatever floats your junk, man.

[Troggles]

Braid is overrated nonsense, but Patapon gets the nod as one of the best uses of art style and music this decade?

Whatever floats your junk, man.

I think this is the exact reason we don't see many "artsy" type of games. They are far to subjective, which reduces the amount of people who will purchase them. JAYoung's belief about the visuals and music in the game were enough for him to dismiss it, as I'm sure we've all done in the past.

[pseudopseudo]

I loved Braid. Every little nuance about it. I didn't even mind spending the $15.

Real quick:
The "princess" is the A-bomb.


That hasn't been proven, per say, but it seems to be picking up steam as the consensus. The more I read different people's opinions and in-depth story analyses, the more I agree with it. The event that happens when you get all the stars seems to confirm this.

Has anyone tried to do the speed run yet? I tried once, but my g/f distracted me about 6 minutes in, and I had to turn the damn thing off.

[Troggles]

Braid or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Atomic Bomb

[fitbabits]

Braid is overrated nonsense, but Patapon gets the nod as one of the best uses of art style and music this decade?

Whatever floats your junk, man.

Well done. You fail miserably at reading comprehension.

[fitbabits]

I think this is the exact reason we don't see many "artsy" type of games. They are far to subjective, which reduces the amount of people who will purchase them. JAYoung's belief about the visuals and music in the game were enough for him to dismiss it, as I'm sure we've all done in the past.
Good grief... I dismissed it after playing it. Had it been up my alley gameplay-wise, I would have been able to look beyond the visual and audio issues I had.

[Young Al Capone]

I loved Braid. Every little nuance about it. I didn't even mind spending the $15.

Real quick:
The "princess" is the A-bomb.


That hasn't been proven, per say, but it seems to be picking up steam as the consensus. The more I read different people's opinions and in-depth story analyses, the more I agree with it. The event that happens when you get all the stars seems to confirm this.

Has anyone tried to do the speed run yet? I tried once, but my g/f distracted me about 6 minutes in, and I had to turn the damn thing off.

Goddammit, now I am interested in reading everyone elses interpretation to see how this might be the case. Some of the dialogue in the epilogue would make a lot more sense.

[drobvice]

I liked Braid more as I originally interpreted it. A fucked up love story where: you turn out to be that bad guy
I also loved the story being so obtuse and not putting a fine point on it. That combined with the soundtrack and platforming elements had me ENGROSSED in this game. More so than games I have spent $50-60 on. But, when I found outabout the atom bomb thing, which is not an official explanation
I was a little disappointed. It sort of tore me away from my little world I was in. Kinda like when you learn the real lyrics to part of a song and they aren't that interesting anymore.

To me this game sort of reminds me of the movie Pi. People usually either think it genius or didn't really like it.

[Young Al Capone]

I liked Braid more as I originally interpreted it.

Me too, and that was sorta similar to my interpretation of it. I don't care that Blow says it is explicit and not really up for interpretation, I am interpreting.

I also loved the story being so obtuse and not putting a fine point on it. That combined with the soundtrack and platforming elements had me ENGROSSED in this game.

Me too, the way the whole package came together seemed perfectly suited to my tastes. At least some of them.

It sort of tore me away from my little world I was in. Kinda like when you learn the real lyrics to part of a song and they aren't that interesting anymore.

Ah, like "Hold me closer Tony Danza."

[Johan]

Good grief... I dismissed it after playing it.

You're not allowed to dislike a game after playing it. In order to dislike it you have to like it. :D

[Urizen]

Well done. You fail miserably at reading comprehension.

I guess you can take the the people of of EvAv, but can't take EvAv out of the people.

Alright, guilty as charged. Why not show me the error of my ways?

[Harv]

I liked it for a while, but I think I'm honestly not much of a puzzle gamer because I got stuck in one of the later stages and put it down and haven't picked it back up. I'm sure I could finish it, but I'm not really compelled to do so.

[fitbabits]

I guess you can take the the people of of EvAv, but can't take EvAv out of the people.

Alright, guilty as charged. Why not show me the error of my ways?

Cheap shot, man.

Just read what I wrote.

[Johan]

...take the the people of of

I didn't know stuttering could be an issue in typing a post! ;)

[Widgetcraft]

There is no reason that this topic should have gone in this direction.

[Johan]

There is no reason that this topic should have gone in this direction.

Hey, I just tried to lighten the mood! :)

;) -- winks and all!

[Variable Gear]

No comment.

[Johan]

No comment.

Isn't that...kinda conflicted and ironic? ;)

[Variable Gear]

Isn't that...kinda conflicted and ironic? ;)
I guess so. I have a storied history with Braid, and it's widely known that I wasn't a big fan.

[Johan]

It inspires strong reactions in those who have played it. I suppose that's a very good thing, because whether good or bad, at least people are playing! The games we don't talk about, that inspire apathy, are the games/developers that should be concerned.

[King3567]

I loved Braid. Though it only lasted me three or four days, I was completely engrossed in everything: the story, Tim, levels, art, and the music. I too like my interpretation of the story then the one that seems to be true. Though, the "real" version is kinda cool I guess.

I can't emphasize how much I loved the music in this game.

[mister slim]

Me too, and that was sorta similar to my interpretation of it. I don't care that Blow says it is explicit and not really up for interpretation, I am interpreting.

I don't see Blow as saying it's not up for interpretation, but rather that there's only one interpretation that's supported by authorial intent. Where did he say it's explicit, by the way? That really runs counter to the interviews I've read.

[Young Al Capone]

I don't see Blow as saying it's not up for interpretation, but rather that there's only one interpretation that's supported by authorial intent. Where did he say it's explicit, by the way? That really runs counter to the interviews I've read.


Check this out.

Some Blow (http://www.avclub.com/content/blog/game_designer_jonathan_blow_what) comments

He never explicitly says that it is...explicit (stupid, I desperately need a thesaurus), but that is certainly the impression I get from him.

[Iron Past]

I can't find the other thread (WTF, search engine?), so I'm bringing this one back.

Spoilers below!





I suppose the a-bomb theory is the right one, but even in that, it should be noted that the princess is the knowledge of the a-bomb, not the bomb itself. To reference another alegory, he's chasing the dragon.

My own thing for a while was that the princess was an allegory for happiness, and that he regretted being married, then left. He then spends the rest of the 'game' searching for happier memories that become become the building blocks of his own little castle in which to dwell, which is of course to say that he surrounds himself with happy memories and retreats this place in his mind when it gets to be too much. The only thing that stands out from my interpretation is the reference to the atom bomb testing in the desert, so I don't know. Then again, it could simply be a reference to achieving something you thought you wanted, then realizing it was a bad idea, much the same as I see the candy store scene as a flashback to his childhood, with his mom standing there holding his hand and representing the feelings of oppression from a female.

Anyways, just some thoughts since I finally finished it. Oh, and I was supremely pissed that there were a couple puzzles with bugs that I believe were trying to be passed off as gameplay. I don't care what you say, a key should never warp.

[bapenguin]

Finished this finally this weekend. Yeah, I think it's over rated as well. It was decent, it was fun at times, but mostly I felt like I was playing a game made by somebody very pompous.

[Psykoboy2]

but mostly I felt like I was playing a game made by somebody very pompous.

Now tell us why.

[Variable Gear]

I'm with bap, even though I haven't beaten the game yet. There is far too much pretentious bullshit in Braid.

[Psykoboy2]

There is far too much pretentious bullshit in Braid.

Examples? Not saying anyone is wrong or right here, I just want a reason behind the point.

[Variable Gear]

Examples? Not saying anyone is wrong or right here, I just want a reason behind the point.
I've said a lot on this subject already, so I'd prefer to shut up until I complete the game.

If you see me on Live tonight playing Braid, feel free to bother me. :o

[Ink Asylum]

Only the writing is pompous. As a puzzle game, it's excellent.

[Variable Gear]

I really like the world where time moves forward when you move right, and time moves in reverse when you move left. I'm no closer to completing the game, and I continue to believe that the writing is overly pretentious, but I'll concede that the game is designed remarkably well.

Perhaps too well, in fact, as I have no idea how to solve many of Braid's puzzles.

[Talon]

I liked Braid in spite of the pretentiousness of the whole experience. The whole gameplay as story framework of the entire game was designed extremely well (arguably better than any game this gen).