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Braid | Be kind, rewind (coming to PSN on Nov. 12 in NA)
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Also, I was thinking: Given the game's conscious effort (whether it succeeded or not is still up for debate) to merge gameplay, narrative and overall experience, I wonder what, if any, kinds of thoughts Blow put into the Achievements. It seems like you'll get all but one of them for playing the game through normally; it doesn't affect anything, really, but since game design is at the forefront of most Braid discussions it seems relevant to ask. What do you guys think?
I'd say they put in the standard achievements because Blow doesn't really like empty little rewards like achievements, but they had to put them in due to the platform.
Incidentally, does anyone know why the game is called "Braid," or is that something you find out later in the game?
For years, I thought Ben Folds Five was just a band name. I thought it was ambiguous what "Ben" folded five of. I eventually learned that Ben Folds is an actual person and this was his band of five people. The band name suddenly became much more lame.
I don't have a 360...
I think I remember seeing that it's called Braid because of how the different threads of time are interwoven.
you poor bastard.
commandeer a friend's. that's how i'm going to play all the PSN games i want.
there's some passing mention of the princess whipping Tim with her braid as she turned to leave, early on in the game. I don't believe the word is mentioned again after that. I can speculate that it's a metaphor for threads of time and fate woven together? but that's just me.
you just warped my mind all over again.
random edit: http://blog.gameshadow.com/?p=75
(kinda nsfw)
I do love the game, but Blow certainly does think a lot of himself and his opinion. though he really is generally right about MMO's and Bioshock =p yet I will continue to play my MMOs... they're a nice way to have fun with people who are not in the same room as you.
I actually don't much like it in motion. The animation/movement reminds me of those "create a game" applications that used to do the rounds on the pc. The art IS very pretty though and I'm quite getting in to the game
"quite getting in to the game" now = bought it
PSN: SirGrinchX
Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
EDIT: I guess it's World 2? Whatever.
You can get every piece in each world without going to other worlds. There are no abilities that you get and take back with you, for example.
You can obtain every puzzle piece; you just haven't found the hook yet. I'm assuming you're talking about the last two pieces in Cloud Bridge. IIRC, you might have to have obtained other puzzle pieces first before you can get those. (And that's kind of a hint for the solution.)
I really like the art. But I do see where you are coming from with the motion. It feels a little like an A1200 game.
But I actually like that. It's nostalgic.
2009 is a year of Updates - one every Monday. Hopefully. xx
Some of the puzzles are incredibly clever. Thanks to some "out of the box" thinking and your hint, I managed to complete World 2. Thanks!
Son of a bi... I need to hit the demo up again tonight.
He's also incredibly wrong about BioShock.
BS isn't the greatest game in the world, but it does more than just "make you make headshots as far away as possible."
Last I checked, it had one of the best instances where gameplay and story met cooperatively.
As long as you're playing "Good" i'll agree with ya. Bad? Not even remotely.
So, he doesn't like WoW and Bioshock, but liked KotoR 2? Hmmm... I'm not going to let this guy's opinions deviate my trial of the game.
It's just two fat chicks in their under wear.
World 4 broke my brain.
Did you figure it out? I had to skip it not to go insane.
I thought about re-entering the level from the other door, taking out the goombas in different orders and "rewind" everytime I kill one, but I still can't figure it out!
I'd appreciate a hint
Seriously, wow.
Must be difficult to sustain that level of freshness throughout the whole game. Heck even the very last parts had surprises.
Braid Designer Slaps MMOs and Bioshock
At his Montreal Game Summit keynote, Jonathon Blow (the one man band behind 2008’s time-warping platformer, Braid) has railed at the McDonalds-esque game design in MMOs and in Bioshock.
“MMOs have empty gameplay, but keep players hooked with constant fake rewards,†said Blow. His concern is that, like fast food, MMOs are empty, and ‘nutritionally’ bereft - they’re a shallow, meaningless experience that nonetheless becomes addictive, resulting in a poor quality of life for its players.
He pointed out how McDonalds has faced criticism from commentators, and that World of Warcraft’s method of teaching players about routine was similar and “akin to advertisingâ€.
And he’s completely right. MMOs have no soul. They thrive on just two things: social networking (something Facebook does better), and constant reward. Few players ever take the time to realise how empty these rewards are. What value does the +3 sword have in the real world? The difference between game design in MMORPGs and traditional RPGs is vast - Knights of the Old Republic 2 has strongly tactical combat, and a rich, meaningful storyline. WoW has XP grind and not much more - just enough to keep players playing.
I take issue with MMORPGs for a different reason to Braid, though. He’s concerned about the social impact of these games on their players - but if players really want to waste their lives, then so be it. I’m just more worried that if designers can get away with bland gameplay like this - and come out with one of the most successful games of all time - then what future is there for games with genuine depth?
Blow also took issue with the hype surrounding Bioshock, claiming that despite wide praise, the game “sucks†and that “the designers of this game are trying to manipulate your emotions in a clumsy way. BioShock claims to be about altruism and humanity but what it really teaches you is how to headshot someone from as far away as possible. It’s a very weird game that we couldn’t proffer as an example to normal humans.â€
I don’t know how he does it, but he’s bang on again. Yes Bioshock is pretty, yes it’s partly inspired by an obscure Russian-American philosopher, no, it’s not really doing anything all that special. And the twist was average in the extreme.
I don’t know if Braid will be the game to reverse these trends - while it looks great, it doesn’t look all that unique to me - next year will tell.
This was the hardest one in World 4 for me and took me quite a while to figure out. One general hint:
A more specific hint:
I know a guy who still plays WoW (I was pretty serious into it until the AQ patch ages ago) and he's all 'Yeah I got my daily quests to do'
Daily. Fucking. Quests. I laughed in his face.
He's wrong on Bioshock though. Superficially yeah, its just a run and gun game, mechanically similar in nearly every way to Unreal Tournament. But the atmosphere and world and narrative should be respected.
It made the final leap from "game" to "second job"
I mentioned it in the OP as well, but fans should also check out Mario Vs. Donkey Kong on the GBA. It doesn't have the time effects but it's a great puzzle-platformer where figuring out the optimal path to take is just as important as solid platforming skills. The DS sequel (March of the Minis) went in a different direction, though, which feels more like Lemmings.
Oh well, soon my dear.
Finishing the puzzle in the first level was so great. If it's like this the whole way through I'll be one happy camper.
Anyways not to steer off topic I would like to throw The Lost Vikings into the mix of games to check out if you like Braid.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
Im wondering the exact same thing, I got the other two and I put the enemy below the little platform but even jumping off him isnt enough to reach it, Im going crazy trying to figure it out
Anyone have any hints?