Braid: The definition of a killer app

Braid
What is a killer app? An app that is so strong and valuable that it drives users and usage to a platform. By this definition, Braid is absolutely a killer app.

I’m a lifelong gamer. In fact, I’m a borderline game system collector. (I finally managed to part with most older systems, but I still have my beloved Dreamcast and even my Atari 800 cluttering my garage shelves.) Plus, many of my friends urged me to get an Xbox 360. Despite all this, I was not convinced. The Xbox 360 had serious hardware issues at launch (which now appear to be resolved), and there just weren’t any games that demanded such a hefty platform investment.

Braid changed the equation.   Read more Braid  reviews.

Two gaming friends insisted that I give Braid a chance. In fact, they sat me down and forced a controller into my hands, and they watched — for two hours, because I coldn’t put it down. The next day, I spent $600 on equipment (the best Xbox 360 system with all the bells and whistles), just so I could continue playing this $15 game. Braid is *that* good. And I’ve introduced other friends to Braid and they, too, ran out to buy the console.

Normally, I spend review space describing the game, especially for off-the-beaten-tracks titles like this, but I won’t do so in this case. I had the rare opportunity to experience a masterpiece cold, with no spoilers, and I really appreciated it. So instead, I will merely say this. If you enjoy puzzle games or platformers, if you enjoy games with intriguing and unique mental challenges, games that require more thought and less button mashing, if you enjoy beautiful artwork, both audio and video, you will definitely enjoy this game. If you need more information, other reviews and this site will no doubt provide it. (BTW, you likely won’t spoil yourself on Braid’s “plot” by reading other reviews, you’ll just spoil yourself on the groundbreaking game mechanics. If you play the game cold, you can discover the game mechanics yourself and have many fun “aha” moments in the process.)

Braid  Videos and Screenshots.

I’ve heard that Braid is coming out on PC soon. I can’t speak to the PC version, but I can say that the investment in the Xbox 360 was well worth it, and not just for Braid. It’s the strongest game platform available today. These opinions are best saved for a review of the platform, but my point is, if you want to play Braid but don’t have an Xbox 360, you can either wait for the PC version or take the Xbox 360 plunge. If you play a fair number of video games, you definitely won’t regret getting the Xbox 360 platform.

Regardless, Braid truly is an exquisite game and work of art, and I believe it’s a worthy contender to be added to all-time hall-of-fame game lists everywhere.

P.S.: in case this helps anyone decide about this game, I’ll point out that I view Braid as great in many of the same ways as I view Portal as great. The two games are quite different, but they both have excellent finishing touches, groundbreaking game mechanics, and are both transcendentally impressive.

 Buy it now: Braid