In case you missed it, Game Informer’s April issue had exclusive coverage of Braid 2.

(Click for a full-resolution image):

For the upcoming PC release of Braid, we made a trailer video. (Finally! We never made one for the Xbox 360 version). And when I say “we”, I mean that David Hellman created it, while I provided comments from the peanut gallery. Sort of like Cartman and Fish Sticks.

Ryan Davis of GiantBomb.com has done a video review of Braid. He does a great job of explaining the game, in just 3 minutes. If anyone out there is still saying stuff like, “That game just looks like a Super Mario rip-off”, point them at this video!

(It looks like this video is going to overlap the sidebar of this blog, but hey, I’ll embed it anyway.)

(Link to the original page, with user comments, is here).

Giant Bomb: 5 stars (out of 5). “The game’s final payoff is terrific, but it’s the ingenuity of the mechanics that makes Braid so engaging.”

Gamefocus: 9.9/10. “If you like games don’t bother to read the rest of the review, just go and buy Braid.”

GamerNode: 9.5/10. “What you get out of Braid is determined entirely by what you put into it.”

Only the Games: 5/5. “Braid is an intrepidly personal game.”

dietwaltz.com: 10/10. “Honestly, it’s the closest thing to a flawless game I’ve ever seen.”

Destructoid: 9.7. (Average of 3 reviews: 10, 10, 9). “Braid is… a true work of art. Simple as that.”

British Gaming Blog: Must Buy. “On one hand it expertly dishes up inspired puzzles and amazing feats of logic, and on the other it draws you ever closer with an enigmatic narrative and a forlorn tale.”
(Thanks to James for pointing this one out.)

Gamers Universe: 96%. “Enchanting. No other word better describes the awe-inspiring experience that is Braid. From the addictive puzzle-based gameplay to the charming audio and beautifully artistic visuals, this game is a pure delight from start to finish.”

Defunct Games: 96%. “It’s one of the most compelling, intelligent and exciting games I’ve played in a long, long time.”

UGO: A. “Perhaps one of the most immaculately conceived and executed puzzle games the medium has yet seen.”

Gamervision: 10/10 (BUY IT). “[Braid] does things with gaming that are usually reserved for novels and films, while also adding elements that would be impossible in any other form. It’s is a game that makes you think about your own life as much as it does about gaming.”

Megatonik: 5/5. “I’m still bewildered at how something can be so simple and yet so complex simultaneously. This is the most important game of the year.”

Mansized: 5/5. “…astonishingly stylish hand drawn visuals, a beautiful musical score and numerous references to some of your most loved gaming classics…”

JoystickDivision.com: 5/5. “The final piece falls into place, and everything coalesces in your mind at once. Like the puzzles that were once mystifying, you suddenly get it…”
(Thanks to Gary Hodges, for pointing this one out.)

This one didn’t make it into the round-up, but it is a high-scoring review from a high-traffic site, so I’ll post it separately.

Tom Mc Shea at Gamespot rated Braid a 95/100 (despite the fact that the two previews they had of Braid went horribly!). His summary: “A moving story, serene visuals, and brilliant puzzles make Braid an adventure that you absolutely should experience.”

Now that the game is out, reviews are starting to spring up more quickly. Here are the ones I became aware of today:

UltraNinjas.com: 10/10. “It’s artsy, it’s clever, it kicks your brain’s arse and it’s one of the most unique things I have ever played.”

Platform Nation: 9/10. “I’m sure you’ll fall in love with it. There’s lots to do, it reminds us of what pick up and play platform gaming is on XBLA, and is certainly enjoyable. Definitely an excellent addition Live Arcade.”

VideoGamer.com: 9/10 “Without doubt the finest, most original Xbox LIVE Arcade game to date.”

GameDaily: 9/10. “Braid’s level design is superb, with colorful, multi-scrolling levels displaying a breathtaking world. Every stage seems pulled from an art gallery, suitable for framing…. You owe it to yourself to play a game this good.”

The AVG Gamer: 9/10 “A great and unique achievement in game design.”

Nick Suttner of 1up just posted his review. Here’s a quote:

Braid is made truly divine with emotional depth and a bittersweet humanity — a monumentally relevant game…

(Or, 5/5? It says 10 at the top and 5/5 at the bottom. Either way, a good score!)

Here is a link to the online version of the review. And here’s a quote:

It’s among the best games of the generation, and is unquestionably and immediately the best game ever to have been released on Xbox Live Arcade.

So, that’s something.