Braid revolves around a man named Tim and his search for his Princess. Braid is unique in the fact that the story is non-linear and, arguably, completely subjective. The Princess could be any number of things manifested as Tim's desire for fulfillment. Tim's quest is so surreal that one could consider it entirely mental and emotional, not physical. It's a well-written and well-paced narrative, but it leaves things completely open to interpretation, which means that those looking for a single, cohesive plot will be disappointed. However, if you are looking for a more surreal, avant-garde method of storytelling, Braid definitely delivers.

Braid is no slouch in the audio-visual department, however. The graphics are hand-painted and animated and look absolutely stunning. The smooth, painter-like quality of the visuals definitely lends an air of mysticism to the story and gameplay. The audio is much the same way, with some truly haunting orchestral pieces playing in the background of the levels. The sound effects are utilitarian, but perhaps the coolest effect is the reversal of sounds, causing songs and effects to play backwards as you manipulate time.

Braid is divided into 5 worlds, with each world being labeled as World 2 through World 6, with the hub being World 1. Each world has a specific time-alteration mechanic that must be used to solve the puzzles therein. For each puzzle solution, you receive a jigsaw puzzle piece that is used in the world's complete puzzle. You must finish all of a world's puzzles and finish the jigsaw puzzle from the pieces gathered in order to truly master a world. The worlds are labeled appropriately, with all except the 5th world and epilogue being represented by a "Time and Blank" title.

• Time and Forgiveness is the first world that the player may traverse through. As such, it introduces players to the time reversal/acceleration mechanic present in the rest of the levels. The puzzles inside do not require the time manipulation mechanic in order to solve, but it does make them easier, as it allows you to rewind from potential mistakes. It's neither too hard nor too easy, and causes one to reflect on the past of platform games with fond memories.
• Time and Mystery has objects that are unaffected by your powers. These objects glow green, and range from doors to moving platforms. Puzzles revolve around synchronization as well as permenancy, as any green object can not be reverted to its original state. This is the first world that you can get stuck on and unable to extricate yourself by reversing the flow of time. No worries! To reset, simply, head through a door and then back into the level.
• Time and Place is perhaps the most interesting of all the worlds, and the hardest to adjust to. It's a simple concept: going right causes time to go forward, going left causes it to go backwards, and staying in one place freezes it. However, the levels and puzzles in this world are truly ingenious and took me the longest amount of time to figure out of all the levels.
  
• Time and Decision allows the player to create a shadow of themselves by reversing time. Simply go to a place, reverse time until you are where you want you and your shadow to take different paths, and voila. Your shadow will follow the exact same path you just did. The puzzles here all revolve around this mechanic, although the Time and Mystery mechanic is thrown into a few puzzles for good measure.
  
• Hesitance is the penultimate world of Braid, and the last named one. It's primary mechanic is a familiar one: the slowing down of time's passage. However, the twist is that this slowing is caused by a ring, and the closer one gets to the ring, the slower one moves. It takes the longest of all the worlds, and the last puzzle is a doozy, but it is a good farewell to the traditional puzzles that you have experienced so far.
• The final world is untitled, save for a picture of a flower going backwards from blooming. There will be no spoilers, but the ending is one of the biggest twisting gut-wrenchers in gaming. Seriously. It comes out of nowhere and hits you like a freight train.

The one thing that the PC version has over the Xbox Live Arcade version is a level editor. Jonathon Blow included the level editor in with the game, hidden away in the command line options. He later posted about it on the Braid blog, and it is a must read for modders wishing to add to the Braid experience in new and interesting ways. There are even threads on the Steam forums dedicated to helping you get started!

Braid is a game that really needs no introduction to the average indie game fan. Incredible graphics and audio, intriguing story, and deeply fulfilling gameplay make it a must have. For those with an Xbox 360 and a copy of Braid already owned, you can rest assured that the game is exactly the same as it was for you. For those that haven't played or want a level editor, however, Braid on the PC is almost a necessity. You can buy Braid on one of four downloadable services: Steam, Impulse, Greenhouse, or GamersGate.

Want to try before you buy? Check out the free Braid demo right here on Big Download.