If I end up getting some of target's point cards on sale, I'll definitely get Braid. But right now, I just have enough for CC and BCR, so I'll have to wait.
To me, this feels like the perfect length platform'r / puzzler. My Brother and I keep seeing Braid as "The 'Lost Winds' (Wii) of the Xbox 360". Every little time-element puzzle made me smile. I liked the way the game didn't hold your hand, but I could easily see how placing one of those books before a puzzle board would make the game more accessible. For example, before the first board, it could say "You remembered that even the actions of the past, can help you through the challenges of today... they give you a solid foundation."
But I think J.Blow made a game for us 20-some year old people who will get all the little jokes. "The princess is in another castle..." I kinda respect the lack of hand-holding, the "Here are you tools, FIGURE IT OUT!" approach. If this is an artificial way of extending the games length, I prefer this rather than flag collecting! The game isn't THAT hard in the demo, and the "OOOOOO! I GET IT!" feel is more satisfying because you almost feel like you cheated the system when you succeed.
Is this a good game to sell for 15 bucks? As an overall game, surely. It's like a scaled up, inspired, HQ DS / PSP game with many times more refined graphics and sound, but for half of the price. But as an XBLA game... I know so many will see this and say "Gah, no multiplayer, GAH, it's short!" and whine and whine.
Oh, and I don't think Blow was being cocky when he said he doesn't want this game to be like Psychonauts (Critically Acclaimed, but sales-wise, ignored.) The game ALREADY has achieved critical acclaim. He'd be cocky is he ASSUMED they'd say that, but the results are already in!
I still think XBLA should adopt the size limit = price mold of XNA, though. With certain rules to prevent something like N+ from being only say, 2 bucks, lol. (since that game is insanely small.) I think that would help "sell" large games for larger prices concepts to the average consumers.