Braid (XBLA) - This years Portal!!

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theNoid

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Review : Eurogamer 10/10
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=205102

"I almost never give out full marks, generally reserving that honour for retro games that have proven their worth many times over, but Braid has me in its spell. Judged purely as a game, it's cunning, ingenious and endlessly surprising. The puzzles are varied, the level design is revelatory and the whole thing clicks together like clockwork. For those only interested in gameplay, it's simply an excellent puzzler-cum-platformer. But there's so much more here, a desire to create a game experience that is more than mere technical craft. That it succeeds in creating an abstract emotional experience, one where each player can find their own level of meaning and personal context, all within the confines of the 2D platformer, is perhaps the most astonishing achievement of all."
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Also.. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3753/the_art_of_braid_creating_a_.php

Words cannot express the joy in my eyes today. This game was so much more then I expected it to be, and I expected a lot. Its a beatiful water-colored 2D puzzle/platformer, in which you can never die but manipulate time to complete puzzles and grab puzzle pieces.

The 1200 point price tag, might scare you, please do not let it. This game has more value then most everything else out on XBLA right now. Quality title, 10/10 in my books. Please give this game a chance, try, demo run. If you liked Portal, this game deserves a spot in your library.

Is anyone else experiencing this right now?
 
Loving it. Though I'm stuck on a level and can't work out how to progress so I'm giving it a break.

Missus is playing at the moment and thoroughly enjoying it too.
 
wow thats quite the review. i think ill wait for a few other sites i trust more to chime in before i decide to blow some points on it.
 
I already bought Geometry Wars 2... I'm probably going to by Castle Crashers... after playing the trial version, now I think I'm going to have to buy this one too! Damn you Live Arcade!!!

This game is really cool.
 
Yeah, this game is a nice little gem. Most XBLA demos I've tried so far have been average at the best - I've only really enjoyed (and purchased) Catan, Puzzle Quest and Golf: Tee It Up during the last two years.

At first the demo looks like just your average everyday 2D platform jumper and I was really wondering how they could be asking 1200 points for this. Oh, so you can use X to rewind time and correct mistakes. Seen this in Prince of Persia - so what's the big deal? I was almost putting my controller down after the first level since there was apparently nothing new to see - and damn I'm glad I didn't.

The big deal is how the levels are built and how the objects (enemies/items/platforms) on the levels react to time rewinding - not all of the game objects are affected by time manipulation and this makes some of the puzzles very interesting (and confusing!). As a simple example, you might face two locked doors and have only one key available. The key and the second door are normal objects, but the first door has green shine, indicating that it is not affected by time manipulation. First, you'll get the key, open the first door and then rewind time back to the point you were just about to open the first door. Since the key is a standard object and affected by time, it will still be in your hand - but the first door is not affected by time rewinding and remains open - so you can use the key again to open the second door.

It's amazing how this simple idea works in practice and how it makes you think in a different way - I haven't had so much fun with a puzzle game since Portal and Puzzle Quest.
 
Tried the demo, wow. I had to rip myself away from the controller to eat dinner...so quickly addictive...
 
So I'm back to playing the game.... I didn't know that there were hidden things in there!
 
Some of these puzzles are driving me nuts, right from the beginning. Anyone have any hints (not spoilers) on how to get the two right hand puzzle pieces in the first world, the first level with the cloud firing cannons?
 
beanman101283 said:
Some of these puzzles are driving me nuts, right from the beginning. Anyone have any hints (not spoilers) on how to get the two right hand puzzle pieces in the first world, the first level with the cloud firing cannons?
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HInt: You can't get them to start with. Go back there after you've done the other levels in World 2.

(World 2 is the only world that works that way)
 
I heard it's coming to PC and i haven't hyped myself up on this enough that i need to buy it right away. I think i'll try to wait for the PC version which will no doubt have tons of mods or addon map packs like portal does. Hopefully it's on steam
 
I wouldn't hope much for steam if I were you... they'll probably double the XBLA price like usual.
 
Psychotext, are you saying that you can't get all the puzzle pieces in the first world until you've gone through the other worlds? I haven't convinced myself that it's worth $15 yet so I've only played the demo through. There's like 3 or 4 pieces I am unable to get. Is that because I need some new skills from the later levels that I need to bring back?
 
Not the other worlds. Just world two. Your skills are unique to each world... there are no powerups / upgrades etc.
 
Tzzird said:
Psychotext, are you saying that you can't get all the puzzle pieces in the first world until you've gone through the other worlds? I haven't convinced myself that it's worth $15 yet so I've only played the demo through. There's like 3 or 4 pieces I am unable to get. Is that because I need some new skills from the later levels that I need to bring back?
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HINT: You will need to assemble some of the puzzle pieces from other parts of the level in order to get pieces in earlier areas.
 
mobster281 said:
Im bout to download the demo. Hopefully its as good as you say
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Just remember that it's a very unassuming game at first blush.
If you can manage to beat World 2 with no outside hints, the game should interest you.
 
I'm loving the stuff after the end of the game. So freaking challenging!
 
The demo was fun, but I can't justify the $15 for the short game. I heard it was only about 3 hours long. Can anyone confirm?
 
wespott said:
The demo was fun, but I can't justify the $15 for the short game. I heard it was only about 3 hours long. Can anyone confirm?
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I think I've already spent about 3 hours on it and I'm only on Level 4.
I'm sure it varies from player to player. But I'd say $15 is wroth it for the experience.
 
Well... after the puzzles are all done I've easily put in another 5 hours. I'll leave you to work out why (it's not speedruns)
 
Completed it today. The second puzzle piece in "Elevator Action" was very frustrating to figure out, but otherwise the game was a very enjoyable experience. Not going to try the speed runs though, I hate artificial time pressure while playing. :)

Psychotext said:
Well... after the puzzles are all done I've easily put in another 5 hours. I'll leave you to work out why (it's not speedruns)
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Woot, have to go take take another look there. :D
 
wespott said:
The demo was fun, but I can't justify the $15 for the short game. I heard it was only about 3 hours long. Can anyone confirm?
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You could run through it in that time but if someone tells you he was able to complete all the puzzles in 3 hours, he's lying...there's a lot of thinking involved.
 
I haven't purchased the game yet, but I think I will this weekend. I have to add some more points to my account first. I might as well get enough to get Castle Crashers too, for when that one becomes available.
 
I loved Portal but this game just pisses me off. Every time I beat a puzzle the only thing I could think was “That is fucking retarded”. The game isn’t about thinking and creativity, it is about thinking how the developer thinks because there is only one way to win. Lame to the highest degree.
 
101998 said:
I loved Portal but this game just pisses me off. Every time I beat a puzzle the only thing I could think was “That is fucking retarded”. The game isn’t about thinking and creativity, it is about thinking how the developer thinks because there is only one way to win. Lame to the highest degree.
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Shame you didn't like it. I beg to differ on there only being one way to solve each level btw... maybe on the early ones but you'll find when speedrunning that there's fast and slow ways to do things.
 
How long did it take to finish this game? I plan on getting it but I dont want to waste 15 bucks on a short arcade game
 
mobster281 said:
How long did it take to finish this game? I plan on getting it but I dont want to waste 15 bucks on a short arcade game
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If you're a savant, probably about 3 hours. If you're a normal human being (and don't use FAQs... seriously, don't do it) - probably about 6+ hours... then add another 5 at least if you want to get the hidden stuff.
 
Tried the demo, and I'm in love. Picking this up when I have a few bucks, definitely!
 
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