15 years after its original release on Xbox 360, Braid is getting a wonderfully crafted remaster with a ton of new content. Called Braid Anniversary Edition, Jonathan Blow’s seminal indie platformer arrives with enhanced graphics and a new world filled with informative developer commentary.
However, what makes Braid truly special and has helped it stand the test of time is its layered story and incredible puzzle design. While it doesn’t get quite as complex as designer Jonathan Blow’s next game, The Witness, the concept of rewinding is fully explored as additional mechanics are added in subsequent worlds.The other major addition is an incredible amount of commentary that can be interacted with. Beyond Blow just giving his thoughts on every aspect, it also features insight from Cris Moore, Casey Muratori, Marc ten Bosch, and Brian Moriarty. Never afraid to get granular, there’s a staggering amount of thought on every aspect of its design, from its lack of a traditional title screen to how the game came together graphically.Yes, you’ll have to put on your thinking cap to access all of the commentary, as there are new puzzles to solve and another painting to put together. It’s an extremely Blow addition to the game and it’s genuinely cool to see him remixing old puzzles and creating some new ones years after the fact.While I wish it was easier to access all of the great developer commentary, those who work their way to accessing the conversations are rewarded with great information from Blow and other guests.