Game Analysis--Braid

Game Title 

Braid

Company or Author

Jonathan Blow

Type of game 

Platform and puzzle

Price
$20 

Goal

What is the object of the game?

To collect and assemble all the jigsaw puzzle pieces in six worlds, and to control the protagonist Tim to rescue the princess from a monster.

Allure

What makes the game fun?

The first thing that draws players’ attention is the delicate artwork of the game. The background and soundtrack at the beginning of the game could give players great sense pleasure. These features could serve as keeping players playing the game.

Also, the power of time manipulation is the most appealing feature of this game. Players can reverse time and rewind actions. Accordingly, there is no dying in Braid, players can always go back and undo the consequences. The time-based game mechanic in each game world is unique. Therefore, this feature could provide players with brand new experience and challenges.

In addition, this game constructs a mysterious atmosphere at the beginning. The plot makes players eager to discover how the story goes, where the princess is on earth. Unravelling the mystery step after step could satisfy players’ curiosity, thus making the narrative part of this game attractive.

Is it fun to replay? Why or why not?

It is not so fun to replay after having solved the puzzles. In many puzzles there is only one particular way to collect the jigsaw piece. Although many of these puzzles require crafty operations with high precision, replaying is merely repeating previous actions, and it does not give the players any new experience.

Hang-ups

What was not fun about the game?

There is so few tutorial and hints in the games that players might find it confusing and not know how to control. Also, in some hard puzzles, players might feel frustrated and give up after many failures.

What would correct this?

In this game players could move to next puzzle even if they haven’t solved the current puzzle yet, as long as they could reach the door connecting to next puzzle. This setting enables players to move on in the game, rather than making players stop at one puzzle.

User Actions and Control Mapping

How does the user interact with the game?

The player can control the protagonist Tim to move, jump, stomp on enemies, and operate levers by pressing direction keys and spacebar. Also, players can control time by pressing the action key. In the jigsaw puzzle play, players can use the keyboard or the mouse to move and assemble jigsaw pieces.

What actions are available and how are they executed?

Move left/right/up/down: Press Left/Right/Up/Down

Jump: Press Spacebar

Climb: Press Up

Stomp on an enemy: Jump over the enemy’ head

Operate lever: Press Up

Make time reverse: Press Shift

Get key: Move to key

Open locked door: Move to the door with the key

Assemble jigsaw: Click and drag the pieces, or press directions, hold shift         button to drag

Challenges

What puzzles and hurdles are presented to the user?

In each puzzle, there are several jigsaw pieces scattered. Players have to find a way to collect these pieces, with the hurdles of locked doors, patrolling or actively attacking enemies. Players have to find the key to open a locked door, to operate the lever to get access to certain places, and to avoid or stomp on enemies to survive.

In many puzzles, some of the hurdles are designed to be solved with extremely precise time control. Players have to find the exact time point to take certain action. Interestingly, some items in the puzzles are not affected by time manipulation, accordingly, players have to make use of this characteristic to solve the puzzles.

Scoring / Rewards

What incentives does the game provide?

Collecting jigsaw pieces and discovering the plot of this game are two important incentives. Solving every jigsaw puzzle unravels the mysterious plot of the game. Therefore, players are motivated to continue the adventure in this game.

How is progress tracked?

In the startup interface, there are six rooms for the six game worlds, and for each world there is a board showing which jigsaw pieces the player has already collected. And in each world, for every small puzzle there is a door representing it, and the number on the door indicates how many jigsaw pieces are left to be collected in this small puzzle.

Strategies

What techniques are useful to improve your standing in the game?

Since it is a platform game, players have to be very good at operation. And players have to get familiar with the power of time manipulation in order to find the exact combination of operations as the only solution to the puzzles.