How a Adventure/Puzzle/Platformer game should be done.

User Rating: 9.5 | Braid X360
Braid is the type of game that is just good all around and does everything it attempts to do very well. The game starts off with Tim, the hero of the game, who sets out to save a princess after she was kidnapped by a monster. Yeah I know that sounds a lot like Super Mario, but there is a lot more depth to the story told threw a kind of a diary that tells Tim's thoughts and feelings. The story really adds a lot of life to this game, although some of the "diary entry's" can feel like a bunch of lame poetry, if you bring a little bit of your own maturity the story can be a great experience. Not too mention the ending is one of the best I have ever witnessed in a game.

The controls for the game are about as perfect as one could hope for in a platformer, and as everyone knows controls really are what make or break a platform type game. And because of the good controls the puzzles are never too hard nor are they too easy. With the addition of the cool time rewind mechanism the puzzles and gameplay seems so clever and rewarding you will not want to stop playing.

As you move through the levels of Braid you will notice the great looking visuals. There not perfect or really eye popping but with nice colors and good looking backgrounds the graphics are overall very good. Along with the visuals which help to create a awesome atmosphere to the game is the sound and music. While the music is soft and mild, they really do go along nicely with the pacing and structure of the game.

The overall experience I have had with this game was just great. With it's story, the graphics and gameplay being near perfect, I think it is well worth the $15/1,200 Microsoft point asking price and I think those who buy Braid will have just of a great time as I did.