Macworld has posted a new review of Braid. Developed by Jonathan Blow and distributed for Macs by Hothead Games, the unique puzzle title allows players to manipulate the flow of time as they quest to rescue the Princess. Macworld gave the game a score of 4.5 out of 5 mice.

From the review:

But don’t mistake Braid for light fare. Despite the light classical music and dreamy surroundings, Braid is not a pleasant walk down memory lane, but more of a shroom-fueled trip through a David Lynch film. Each stage opens with text that explains a bit more about Tim and his relationship with The Princess, his stormy love interest. As you play throughout the game, you find that the truth is hard to discern. Did Tim lose his love or did he forsake it? Does the Princess even exist? Where does this game take place? Why can Tim manipulate time? Without revealing too much of the twists, Braid unravels into one of the most original, complex, and thought-provoking gaming titles ever.

But Braid doesn’t throw you into the pits of neurosis immediately. The backgrounds, gameplay, and story are initially quite dreamlike. As you progress, in addition to getting used to the weird story and unique art that surround Tim, you’ll also have to adjust to the difficult gameplay. Not since I Wanna Be the Guy: The Movie: The Game have I seen a more frustrating platformer. The margin for error between success and failure in any given puzzle is razor thin and measured in milliseconds.

Each stage gives Tim different abilities to manipulate time. Certain platforms, enemies, and objects are unaffected by Tim going back and forward through time. For example, you can jump into a pit, grab a key, and reverse time to get back out with the key in tow. You’ll learn to use Tim’s abilities to collect puzzle pieces throughout the levels. The levels themselves are relatively easy to navigate—getting from one start point to the other usually just requires some simple jumping and dodging of fireballs, pits, etc. But this will only take you so far in the game; you’ll realize that the puzzle pieces are the real goal because they unlock the later stages and more of the story.

Macworld: Braid Review

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Braid

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