When the “Summer of Arcade” was first announced, the only game I scoffed at was Braid, an unknown platformer being developed by an unknown developer. After watching some footage I became interested in the game’s unique take on the genre, and when it was released I decided to take the decidedly deep plunge and buy the $15 Xbox Live Arcade Game. As debates roared on questioning the downloadable price point, I began working my way through the game.

Braid is a game without a real plot, instead relying on a series of morals and themes to push the player further. Each world is preceded by a series of books, telling the story about the protagonist as he searches for a princess, kidnapped by an evil monster.

Each of these books uncovers a little more of the story, slowly unraveling the game’s true brilliance. Memories, regrets, childhood, and maturity are all brought to the forefront, and while the game uses these themes to explain and justify the story of Braid, their actual intent is to make you think about your own life. In his quest to rescue the princess he eventually begins to doubt her existence, but prays that she must be real, and hopes that finding her will allow for the rest of his life to fall together. His trip is a symbolic one, the enemies he defeats nonexistent. At the end of every world a dinosaur walks out of the castle, reciting a nostalgia inducing “I’m sorry, your princess is in another castle.” This isn’t just meant to give a chuckle at the expense of Nintendo, but to add another layer to the game’s morals.