Braid entwines PCs March 31

It's odd to think that one of the highest-rated games of 2008 was a downloadable title made by a single individual who worked independently of any major publisher. But it is what it is, and Jonathan Blow's puzzle-platformer Braid for the Xbox 360 continues to gain recognition into 2009, having been nominated in a number of categories for both the Interactive Achievement Awards and the Game Developers Choice Awards.

Soon, PC gamers will have a chance to see what all the fuss is about, as Stardock has announced that the game will be available through its online distribution platform Impulse beginning March 31. It was originally priced at $19.95, but Blow said on his personal blog that the price has been reduced to $14.95 in response to outcry from certain sectors of the Internet.

"Some people have asked why I picked the $20 price point," Blow wrote. "The answer is, I just looked at some comparable games on the PC and saw how much they were charging. Crayon Physics Deluxe, World of Goo, and Aquaria, among many others, are all priced at $20. It seemed reasonable not to charge less for Braid than for those games. But ultimately, I don't care that much about the PC release price."

Blow went on to note that the Xbox Live edition of the game was "nicely profitable," and the goal of the PC release is simply to disseminate his title to a wider audience. For more information on the highly rated XBLA edition of the game, check out GameSpot's review of Braid.