Braid (video game)

Braid
Artwork created by David Hellman for advertising Braid, with the image of the broken hourglass and collapsing sandcastle as metaphors for concepts within the game.
Developer(s)	Number None, Inc.
Publisher(s)	Number None, Inc. Microsoft Game Studios (X360)
Designer(s)	Jonathan Blow
Artist(s)	David Hellman
Composer(s)	Jami Sieber Shira Kammen Cheryl Ann Fulton
Platform(s)	Xbox 360 Microsoft Windows OS X Linux PlayStation 3
Release date(s)	Xbox 360 NA: August 6, 2008 Microsoft Windows WW: April 10, 2009 OS X WW: May 20, 2009 PlayStation 3 NA: November 12, 2009 PAL: December 17, 2009 Linux WW: December 14, 2010
Genre(s)	Puzzle, platform
Mode(s)	Single-player

Braid is a platform and puzzle video game developed by Number None, Inc. The game was originally released in August 2008 for the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade service. Ports were developed and released for Microsoft Windows in April 2009, OS X in May 2009, PlayStation 3 in November 2009, and Linux in December 2010.

The basic story elements unfold as the protagonist, Tim, attempts to rescue a princess from a monster. Text passages laid throughout the game reveal a multifaceted narrative, giving clues about Tim's contemplations and motivations. The game features traditional aspects of the platform genre while integrating various powers of time-manipulation. Using these abilities, the player progresses by finding and assembling jigsaw puzzle pieces.

Jonathan Blow designed the game as a personal critique of contemporary trends in game development. He funded the three-year project with his own money. Webcomic artist David Hellman drew the artwork, which underwent several iterations until it satisfied Blow's vision. A preliminary version of Braid without the final artwork won the "Innovation in Game Design" award at the 2006 Independent Games Festival; the final version received additional accolades. The game received highly positive reviews from critics, eventually becoming the highest critically rated title on Xbox Live. Some reviewers, however, criticized the game's price relative to its length.

Braid was seen as a keystone title in the growth of indie game development since its 2008 release, and Jonathan Blow and its production were documented in the 2012 film, Indie Game: The Movie. The game, as of 2015, had total revenue nearing $6 million, which Blow used to fund his next game, The Witness.