Fable was the first game I ever played on Xbox. It was a great journey, though not great enough for me to pick up the Lost Chapters edition and do it all again.

I wish you hadn't mentioned concept art in the special edition for Fable II. I'm a complete sucker for concept art and (sometimes) 'making of' videos -- not so much for a Happy Meal toy, though, but I won't turn it away.

Since Soulcalibur IV didn't pan out for me, I have a little extra cash to up-the-ante on a Fable II spec. ed. Not positive, either, if I care about the 'pub games,' but I'll try 'em out for the sake of garnering the fuller experience.

And, uh, tarot cards? That kinda flashes back to some scary memories of my then-girlfriend my junior year of high school. Good thing it's not a ouija board of some stylized sort. I'd need an old priest and a young priest.

I love Braids!
Ponytails, pigtails, fish tails, butterflies, buns, all kinds!
How'd they stick that on XBLA

Oddly enough the graphics AREN'T the reason to check the game out. Actually, Braid has very little in common with Super Mario Bros. Oh sure, the game plays out like an homage to Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong and a half dozen other 8-bit classics. But this isn't a game where you're running from left to right, dodging enemies and making leaps of faith. Well, actually, you do some of that, but the game really isn't a 2D platformer. Instead it's a 2D puzzle game. Each area has a certain amount of puzzle pieces to collect, except that you really have to use your brain to collect them. It's simple at first, but you will quickly learn that you will have to use your ability to adjust time to manipulate the levels.

And it's more than just that, each of the levels (there are six in all) have a unique "gimmick" (not in a bad way) that changes how you solve puzzles. For example, in one level you can use your shadow to help you solve puzzles. In another level you can create a small circle that slows down time in that part of the level. I won't spoil them all because the way they are revealed is half the fun of the game, especially since they end up playing on the conventions that are already established early in the title.

The story is also amazing, playing out like a more mature Mario Bros. game. Sort of Super Mario Bros. meets Federico Fellini. By the end of the game you will realize that it has told a rather emotional story, all in a wonderful way.

In a lot of ways Braid is like Portal. I think you'll see what I mean when you play it. It's hard to tell exactly what you're doing in the videos, but once you see what the puzzles are like it's easy to get into it. Just like Portal. I mean, you wouldn't say that Portal looks like a novice-level Half-Life would you? Braid is very similar in themes, and it even has a story with at least one big twist at the end (like Portal). If you like Super Mario Bros. and you like Portal, then Braid is a MUST BUY!

Braid has a stupid name???

If you consider Braid to be a stupid name then I would hate to see what you think is a cool name. Braid may not tell you anything about the game, but at least it's not a ridiculous title or something.

Braid DOES have something to do with the plot, so by your rationale it wouldn't be a stupid name. Right? Yes, I'll give you that it's unorthodox, but can't that be said about a lot of movie titles? The name "Pulp Fiction" doesn't exactly tell you what it's going to be about, yet it's considered one of the best movies of all time. And it's not just movies, the same is certainly true with video games as well. The concept of the game is to be abstract and a little out of left field, not only with the art but also the story and puzzles. I think the name is no different. In fact, the name is explained within the first few seconds of the game (assuming you take the time to read the story).

This brings up another point, though. Perhaps you shouldn't base games on their title. I mean, if I did that then there would be tons of amazing games I would have missed. If you watch a gameplay video and it doesn't appeal to you that's one thing, but what's in a name? Is Braid really a worse title than Crysis?? Not only is the name spelled wrong, but it's named after the company that made it (Crytek). Yet I have a hunch you wouldn't say that you wouldn't play that because it has a stupid name.

I guess my point is, people should be more open to trying out new games. Who cares what the name is, just as long as the gameplay is fun. Right?

I agree. However, I would certainly argue that Braid is a bit more ambitious, especially for such a small team. Maybe it's how much it wallows in its love for 8-bit video games, but there's just something truly amazing about the game. PixelJunk Eden is fun, but it's no Braid. :)

Okay, first and foremost, I wasn't looking to rip you a new one. If that's how I came off then I apologize. I was rather just making my point, expanding on what you said and trying to take your reasoning to their logical conclusion (poking holes along the way) That's all, nothing personal was intended. :)

Also, you're right that Pulp Fiction does connect to the style, however if you hadn't seen the film you wouldn't really understand that connection, just like you wouldn't understand how Braid connects to the game without having played it. That was my point.

You can play similar games online for free? I haven't played too many games similar to this online (or anywhere else for that matter). Can you point me in the right direction? It's originality is one of the reasons why it's getting rave reviews (A+ from 1up and 9.5 from GameSpot, not bad at all). Yes, it's certainly true with some downloadable games ... but it's definitely not true with this game, unless I'm missing something.

I think you misunderstood what I was asking. I'm familiar with free games, but you implied that there were games "like" Braid for free already online. I took that to mean that you could find a game online that was almost exactly like what I just played through, in the same sort of way that Tekken is like Virtua Fighter or Silent Hill is like Resident Evil. Maybe I just misunderstood your meaning. Either way, I know that there are plenty of amazing games for free. However, just because there are hundreds of free games that doesn't take anything away from Braid. There's really not much like it that I've run across. It's like saying that Rock Band isn't worth buying because you can play some free music game online. Or Street Fighter IV isn't worth buying because you can play fighting games for free at GameTap. I don't know, I think you're selling Braid a little short.

Do you like 2D platformers? Did you enjoy Portal? This is the combination of the two, only with better graphics (sorry Valve) and more mature subject matter. The game's ending is one of the top five endings of all time.

Yes, that's a fantastic game. Played it on Kongregate. Good stuff. Well, this has devolved into nothingness. If you enjoyed 2D Portal, then you should get a kick out of Braid. Go, download the demo. It's great, you can play the entire first level (which has five or six areas). It'll come out on the PC soon enough, but for now it's easily the best XBLA game currently available. It's so, so good ... especially if you enjoy abstract stories. So good. It's the kind of game this site (and all other sites) should have been talking up. The Portal comparison should have been made months ago, when it was first announced. Then again, I suppose people didn't freak out about Portal until after it came out. Maybe there's hope for Braid yet.

Okay, not to sound like a complete jerk or anything (because I'm not trying to) ... but since you keep bringing this up I have to ask: is this a reference that I'm missing? Are you trying to create a new catch phrase? Is this supposed to be funny? I guess I feel like I'm far too old to understand it, but I still feel like I should ask.