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Braid Review

だいたい4分で読めます

While casually looking for a puzzle game, I discovered this work.
The idea of searching for keys to progress through stages brought back trauma from Misubaru Circus, but I managed to clear it somehow.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/26800/Braid/

Overall rating: +1 (Recommended!)

Overview

The most distinctive feature is the ability to perform a rather special operation of "rewinding time".
This work has succeeded in creating high-quality puzzles by leveraging this uniqueness.

Incidentally, it's by the same creator as The Witness, a game where you simply solve puzzles. I knew about this one first.

What I liked

Above all, the quality of the crucial puzzles is extremely high.
There are various gimmicks, but I guarantee that everyone will have at least one moment where they think, "This is really well done!"
It feels like there's an ambition to make it interesting, not just relying on the idea of "time-rewinding operation".

Also, the world-building utilizing resources is well done.
Not only the tone of the BGM, but also the change in playback speed in accordance with gimmicks and operations, and the indescribable color scheme of the background all come together to create a unique atmosphere.

Additionally, the high degree of freedom in progression allows you to tackle stages you like, making it difficult to get stuck. That's kind.

What I didn't like

There are occasional instances where new operations or knowledge are suddenly required.
While these are few in number, I felt that a bit more guidance would have been better.

Due to the special nature of the puzzles, the volume is somewhat on the lower side.
However, this is a trade-off as the quality of what's there is high.

Points to note

If played in English, the story is quite complex and adds to the difficulty with much room for interpretation.
If you're not confident, change the Steam settings to start in Japanese.

Summary

This was a work where I could enjoy high-quality puzzles rooted in special operations.
If you're looking for a puzzle game, this should be one of the first to try.

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