Braid Anniversary Edition Review

Developers: Number None, Inc., Thekla Inc., Hothead Games

Publishers: Mumbo Jumbo, Number None, Inc., Thekla Inc., Hothead Games

Release Date: May 14, 2024

Available on: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (reviewed on S)

Let me get one thing out of the way: I personally hate this game. It completely frustrates me. Does that mean it’s a bad game? If other reviews are any indication, it seems that’s not the case. Because I’m finding it hard to get past my personal feelings and be more objective, as any reviewer should try to do, I will not be giving the game a score. I may not enjoy the game, for my own reasons, but there are others who will absolutely love it. If possible, play a demo. If you loved the original 2008 version, getting this should be a no brainer.

Let’s get what I don’t like out of the way first. The controls don’t feel as tight to me as I’d like them. There are parts of stages that seem inaccesible, thogh they contain the puzzle pieces you need to find. The rewind mechanic doesn’t always work as well as I’d like it to. The game does not relay enough in my opinion. Not that I need my hand held, but it’s not as intuitive as it could be.

With the bad out of the way, let’s turn to the good. The music is terrific, providing a nice soothing mood. The graphics are bright and colorful, and have a storybook quality to them. The game’s story is fairly decent, and the rewind mechanic, should you mess up, can be helpful once you figure out how to best use it. Completing the puzzles can be satisfying, and they’re just challenging enough without being too taxing on the brain. There’s also a good developer’s commentary giving a nice behind the scenes look at the game.

Braid Anniversary Edition will not be for everyone, but there are those who arelikely to love it. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it. It’s possible that one day I may return to it and change my mind. But for now, that day is far off. If you played the 2008 original and loved it, this is a must buy. Others may need to try before they make a purchase. I’ll let you decide on what score it should receive. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it more than I did.