3 people found this review helpful
Recommended
0.0 hrs last two weeks / 6.7 hrs on record (5.9 hrs at review time)
Posted: 10 Jan, 2017 @ 7:34pm
Updated: 13 Apr, 2018 @ 2:20pm

A masterpiece of art.

There're already too much reviews about the level design, mechanics, graphic and music of Braid. And yes these elements are all indispensable when reviewing it as a great (puzzle) game.

But by regarding it as art, which I rarely use it to describe a video game before, I truly think it can be compared with those artworks in museums or literary works that could stay in our history.

I am not exaggerating. The whole game play and the blurry storyline behind feels so naturally together, and formed a huge but beautiful metaphor about ...many things.

These words might be very personal. Inside the game, I can prevent things happen, I can make mistakes and manipulate time to undo them. I can foresee Tim's future or go through his memory and back to any stage of his life. But it's just another loop when it comes to the Princess and sadly I can't change his fate. Everything we thought right is wrong. There might exist a refer about Tim and the Princess in our real world (yes there is) or it could also be just a vision of everyone's life. And turn down the computer, I can't reverse time like I just did. I can't go past to fix mistakes I have made. And I don't know would it be better if I could. I don't know what tomorrow will be like, but I'm always drifting in the memory of things I've lived through. I can't see the wind passing by, just like I can't hold the sand of time. But time is everything.

Different from excitement or joy, I've never been touched by something so subtle from games. It's more like a philosophical experience. And the sound is still echoing in my head until today. The game, as a media, fully expressed what it wants to express in a way that only games can do. That's the meaning and beauty of game.
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