Braid
Braid is a puzzle-platformer, drawn in a painterly style, where you can manipulate the flow of time in strange and unusual ways. From a house in the city, journey to a series of worlds and solve puzzles to rescue an abducted princess. In each world, you have a different power to affect the way time behaves, and it is time's strangeness that creates the puzzles. The time behaviors include: the ability to rewind, objects that are immune to being rewound, time that is tied to space, parallel realities, time dilation, and perhaps more. Braid treats your time and attention as precious; there is no filler in this game. Every puzzle shows you something new and interesting about the game world.
What it feels like
An unhurried invitation to reflect on puzzles and the philosophical implications of time manipulation. An enigmatic pull of secrets and hidden truths woven into the narrative of rescuing the princess and the worlds' design. A sincere, heartfelt treatment of its themes around time, meaning, and the quest despite the abstract puzzle premise.
What it's about
Moving through and altering time is central to both story and mechanics; time's strangeness is the conceptual core. A long, transformative journey from a house in the city through a series of worlds toward a goal.
How it plays
Rewinding, time dilation, and space-time mechanics are the definitional core—each world grants a new time power that creates all the puzzles. Jumping and navigating hazardous geometry across worlds is a core challenge alongside the puzzle elements. Puzzles are woven into the game world itself, solved by using time mechanics to manipulate objects and navigate spaces.
How it looks and sounds
Presented as a side-on 2D profile view, the canonical perspective for the platforming action. Drawn in a painterly style with hand-painted textures and visible artistic brushwork. A sweeping, atmospheric orchestral-style score that complements the puzzle-platformer's contemplative mood.
How it's structured
A solo journey through authored worlds with no multiplayer component. Every puzzle and space is deliberately authored to teach and express a specific time mechanic or concept. A contained, focused experience designed for efficient play without filler, completable in a single sitting or a few hours.
Kindred games
Shares Platforming, Environmental Puzzles, Handcrafted World, Journey & Pilgrimage.
Both lean into Single-Player, Platforming, Environmental Puzzles, Handcrafted World.
Shares Platforming, Side View, Handcrafted World, Environmental Puzzles.
Both lean into Platforming, Side View, Single-Player, Handcrafted World.
Shares Side View, Platforming, Handcrafted World, Environmental Puzzles.
Both lean into Single-Player, Side View, Platforming, Handcrafted World.
Closest hidden gems
A lesser-known kindred — Time Manipulation, Environmental Puzzles, Contemplative, Platforming. 89% positive across 4,378 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Time Manipulation, Single-Player, Environmental Puzzles, Contemplative.
A lesser-known kindred — Platforming, Handcrafted World, Environmental Puzzles, Linear Levels. 85% positive across 4,626 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Single-Player, Platforming, Handcrafted World, Environmental Puzzles.
A lesser-known kindred — Platforming, Side View, Linear Levels, Short Playtime. 94% positive across 4,416 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Platforming, Single-Player, Side View, Linear Levels.