Braid is a puzzle-platform game developed by indie video game developer Jonathan Blow. It was released for Xbox Live Arcade in 2008 and for Microsoft Windows in 2009.
In May 2024, Braid, Anniversary Edition, a remastered version of the game was released. It includes new levels, commentary, and updated graphics and sound design.
Gameplay[]
Tim, the main character, is controlled by the player as he runs, leaps, and climbs through the game's stages. In addition to jumping and stomping on opponents to take them out, Tim may also work levers to activate platforms or gather keys to unlock doors. The player's limitless capacity to "rewind" events and turn time backwards, even after dying, is a key feature of the game. The player can access each of the six worlds that make up the game by going back to rooms in Tim's house and solving riddles they missed the first time around. The worlds are explored in sequential order.
A unique time-based gaming mechanic exists for every world
World Mechanics[]
Main article: Worlds
World 2. Time and Forgiveness plays as a standard platform game with the ability for the player to go back in time and change their previous choices. Several of the problems in this section would be impossible or unjust in a standard platform game, but they become doable when the rewind feature is activated.
World 3. Time and Mystery includes time-invariant objects, such as switches, that stay flipped even if time is rewound to before the action took place. These objects are surrounded by a green glow. Thus, rewinding can be used to alter the synchronisation between objects that are rewound and those that are not; this is the idea behind a number of the puzzles in this section. Later worlds also employ this motif to identify items that remain unchanged despite the player's temporal manipulation.
World 4. Time and Place connects the player character's horizontal axis location to the passage of time. Time moves ahead when the player moves to the right and backwards when they move to the left; time is paused when they stand still or move vertically. It's important to manage the player's position properly in relation to items and enemies.
World 5. Time and Decision: The player controls the actions of the real player character by rewinding time. A "shadow" of the player character appears after the player does so, and it completes any initiated falls and jumps before disappearing if the timeline runs out. Violet-colored objects have the ability to communicate simultaneously with the primary character and his shadow. This mechanic is used to do numerous actions at once in the puzzles in this area.
World 6. Hesitance gives the player a mystical ring that, when dropped, bends time so that moving objects—like Tim—move more slowly as time passes around it. There is still access to the standard rewind control.
World 1 is the last world and is plainly named "1." Time is backwards in this world. Time can be rewinded to restore its original flow. To unlock the ladder to the final world, players must gather the puzzle pieces found in every other world.
After finishing the main game, several levels and the whole game can be played in speedrun mode. Additionally, if the player collects eight stars concealed throughout Braid, they appear immediately outside the main characters home that match the stars in the Andromeda constellation.
Story[]
Tim starts his journey outside his house, filled with regret and guilt over his past mistakes with the Princess. These feelings drive his quest to find her, in hopes of reconciliation. The story unfolds as Tim enters various rooms in his house, each leading to a different world where he faces challenges that reflect his emotional turmoil.
In World 2, Tim struggles with his guilt over betraying the Princess. He reflects on how his mistakes, though long in the past, still haunt him. He wishes he could undo these wrongs, but knows the damage is done. This world emphasizes the weight of regret and the desire to fix what has been broken. At the end of the world, a Greeter appears, stepping out of a castle, informing Tim that the Princess is in another castle.
World 3 brings Tim to a place where he realizes that, although he thought he had the perfect relationship with the Princess, he had in fact been controlling and manipulative. His protective instincts, while well-meaning, had kept the Princess confined in a world where she couldn’t truly grow. Tim’s idealized view of their relationship begins to crumble, revealing the tension between love and control. In this world, Tim faces a Boss—an enlarged version of the Monstars with horns and regal clothing. The boss is initially sleeping, but once Tim approaches, it begins spewing fireballs. To defeat it, Tim must drop chandeliers onto its head. At the end of the next level, the Greeter appears, stepping out of a castle, delivering the message that the Princess is elsewhere.
In World 4, Tim reflects on his past, revisiting childhood memories and the insecurity he felt growing up. The world shows his growth as he distanced himself from his parents' home and moved on from his childhood insecurities. Tim believes that finding the Princess will somehow resolve all of his emotional struggles. The Greeter makes another appearance at the end.
World 5 takes Tim to a place of sorrow and regret. He reflects on the moment he left the Princess behind, convinced that by walking away, he was searching for something greater. However, he begins to realize that his departure hurt the Princess deeply, and he’s left with the haunting knowledge that her love for him persisted even after he left. Tim faces the same boss again, which he must defeat by dropping chandeliers onto its head. After the battle, the Greeter appears, telling Tim he is lost.
In World 6, Tim is burdened by the symbolic weight of the ring he wears, a token of his commitment and guilt. The ring isolates him from others, making it impossible to connect meaningfully. It serves as a constant reminder of his failure and serves as a barrier between him and any potential redemption. Tim realizes that his quest is more about facing his own mistakes than finding the Princess. the Greeter appears, doubting if the Princess even exists.
After completing Worlds 2-6, Tim ascends to the attic, which leads to World 1. The reversed final level plays out, showing the Princess escaping from a Knight and works with Tim to get past obstacles to get to her home. In the "untrue" ending, Tim is abruptly locked out of the house, and as time goes on and Tim's deeds are reversed the events depict the princess fleeing from Tim and laying traps that he can avoid until the Knight saves her. It becomes clear that Tim was the monster the Princess was trying to escape, rather than the hero he envisioned himself to be. In the “true” ending if Tim collects 7 stars, Tim reaches the Princess via chandelier causing the Princess to explode, with only Tim surviving.
Tim, reflecting on his journey, builds a castle from the worlds he visited during his quest. The structure, represents his attempt to reconcile with the past. As Tim leaves, he stands outside his house. Above him, the Andromeda constellation shines brightly in the sky, its stars now visible, revealing a picture of the chained maiden.
Trailer[]
Braid Trailer