XBLA - Braid - 1200pts

Yeah, I felt bad for buying it for 1200, but this may be the best XBLA game I have yet to play(still waiting for castle crashers and Bionic Commando). Though I'm not sure the length of the game will be fairly long, it has one of the best story's I've read in a while. As with everyone else, defenitely worth 800 pts, but it is a maybe on 1200.
Still, I reccomend you play this eventually, and Nick Suttner gave it a A+
 
[quote name='DJSteel']i've had this freeze up on me twice..[/QUOTE]
Me too, I didn't even really get to see what this game is all about. Just now it froze twice.

In the very first area I jumped on a bad guy and mysteriously the sound cut out. Then I entered a door then it froze. Tried to play again and it froze when using the "rewind button". I'm sure the demo would eventually show me things that I could do with that button but two freezes? Man I really wanted to try this out. I'll see if it likes me later.
 
[quote name='as50193']Yeah, I felt bad for buying it for 1200, but this may be the best XBLA game I have yet to play(still waiting for castle crashers and Bionic Commando). Though I'm not sure the length of the game will be fairly long, it has one of the best story's I've read in a while. As with everyone else, defenitely worth 800 pts, but it is a maybe on 1200.
Still, I reccomend you play this eventually, and Nick Suttner gave it a A+[/quote]

The more I think about it, I will probably wait til it gets to 800. I loved the demo and felt the story was very heart warming and well written, but $15 considering it's length? It's hard for me to bite at the moment.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']I don't understand the hate for the art style, I think it's very original and cool.[/quote]

I like the backgrounds the way its 2D into 3D but the character and enemies are horrid.

EDIT: :lol: at the "Official Walkthrough" http://braid-game.com/walkthrough/walkthrough.html

EDIT2: The music is horrid too :p, custom soundtracks FTW!
 
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Everything is getting more expensive.. People getting all upset about $5 doesn't make any sense.

If you're a true cag you're paying $10 or $15 for your $20 points cards anyway.. haha!
 
[quote name='dubbfoolio']J. Blow said on his own board he wished the price had been $10 but microsoft decided to push for $15. so it's quite possible the PC versions will be $10.

Just noticed former CAG RockSolidAudio gave the game an A+ on 1up:
http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3169204&p=4

I think I'm going to buy it. I've gotten wrapped up in the critical acclaim.[/QUOTE]

It's more complicated than that. Ultimately the developer sets the price, regardless of pressure from Microsoft. They just can't set it lower than 400 points. He basically said (in another interview) he used up all his savings and had to borrow a lot of money to get it finished so that was the deciding factor in charging more, to pay those people back.
 
[quote name='dubbfoolio']J. Blow said on his own board he wished the price had been $10 but microsoft decided to push for $15. so it's quite possible the PC versions will be $10.

Just noticed former CAG RockSolidAudio gave the game an A+ on 1up:
http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3169204&p=4

I think I'm going to buy it. I've gotten wrapped up in the critical acclaim.[/quote]

Former CAG?
 
I wasn't planning on buying this due to the price tag, but I decided to give it a chance.

Easily worth the 1200 points - my favorite XBLA game yet. Also, the music and art style just make the game so much better.
 
The more I keep replaying the game in my head from the trial last night the more I want to play it. I'm buying this one when I get home today
hairygoombadudelg1.png
 
I just finished world 5 a few hours ago. There were some good puzzles that had me thinking for a while. Only one world left...
 
[quote name='as50193']I felt bad for buying it for 1200[/QUOTE]

Why do you feel bad? You supported an independent developer for creating something unique. You should feel good.
 
[quote name='deadgopher']Why do you feel bad? You supported an independent developer for creating something unique. You should feel good.[/quote]
Perhaps because he spent 1200 points on a game that he (as50193) felt wasn't worth 1200 points...?
 
[quote name='SpazX']I just finished world 5 a few hours ago. There were some good puzzles that had me thinking for a while. Only one world left...[/quote]


Well
there is a big ending that is "World 1" in the attic of the house when you get all 60 pieces. It has the princess and everything in it
 
The speed runs seem impossible to do. 45 minutes for all of the levels? Maybe I could do it if each level was timed separately to add up to 45 minutes, otherwise I don't think it will be easily done.
 
[quote name='Decker']The bottom line is that this may indeed be a great game, albiet a short one, but I'm pretty confident that they've made a huge mistake pricing it at 50% higher than almost all the other arcade games (especially after the huge hit that GW2 already is less than a week after its 800 point launch). I think this game may not have been a smashing sucess even at 800 points, but will really get hurt with a 1200 point price. I'll be watching 360voice to see what the purchase rate is...[/QUOTE]

Mabye I was wrong. This game looks to have done very well despite the hefty price tag.

One nice thing about 360voice.com is that it can give you feedback on any XBLA game within 24 hours of its release so that you can see if it's a hit or a flop. Braid is a....HIT. Yesterday, 2122 people played the full game. With XBLA games, the launch day is almost always the most played so it can give you a really good idea on the purchase rate. Yeah, that's not a totally random sample but it can give you an idea. For comparison, 4283 played GW2 on launch, 998 played Commando 3 on it's biggest day, 614 played Assault Heroes 2, 1337 (ironicly :) ) played SOULCALIBUR at it's launch day, 1408 played the very expensive Penny Arcade game and a whopping 44 ponied up for Double D Dodgeball. By that measure, you have to figure Braid did very well even with it's high price.
 
Holy fucking damn, this game is AMAZING. The overall game is A worthy, but once you complete all the worlds and reach the end, the end sequence is probably the best I've ever played and the end blew me fucking away, and is worthy of a A+++++++++. If you really liked the demo, and would see yourself paying for it, BUY IT IMMEDIATELY.
 
I don't usually purchase XBLA games but Geo Wars2 and now Braid have totally got me hooked. This game is so good that I might have to play it in little dozes so that it can last me a while....and have something to look forward to when I get home from work. :D
 
2 puzzles were getting me in the 6th world, then I thought of the solutions when I exited the game, so I went back in and now I've gotten all the puzzle pieces and finished world 6. I'll leave the ending til tomorrow :p.
 
I just heard of this game. I think the buzz is starting to get around, because I have not been paying attention to new games at all.

I'll try the demo, and if it is really good I'm willing to pay 15 bucks for it. I mean, I save enough on other games to sometimes pay full price on others.
 
I just played the demo. The art style reminds me of the book "Where the Wild Things Are" that I used to read when I was a little kid. I like the music too. For 1200 points, it's pushing it though, but I think I will go ahead and buy it and get a $15 1600 pts card at Target next week.
 
Just finished the game. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend a purchase. I found the artwork, gameplay, and puzzles extremely satisfying. Upon solving many of the puzzles, I was thinking to myself, "wow, that was brilliant!" I especially enjoyed how each world has a different use of the time-altering mechanic and thought that helped keep the gameplay fresh. I don't think that concept comes through in the demo.

Some people complain that Braid isn't very long, but seems a fair length for a XBLA game. I think the overall experience is such a unique and rewarding one, you would do yourself a great disservice not playing it. Maybe you don't need to buy it immediately, but definitely keep Braid in mind as rainy-day weekend's entertainment.
 
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[quote name='CheapyD']Upon solving many of the puzzles, I was thinking to myself, "wow, that was brilliant!"[/quote]

That's funny, because as I was playing some more last night I too found myself having less "Ah ha! I'm clever for figuring that out!" moments than I did "Oh wow, that puzzle was ingenious!" I especially liked the first of three puzzles on the "Elevator Action" level (I think that's what it was called).

I saved the last puzzle piece and end-game for tonight, I wanted to savor the game a little longer. I hope the ending sets up a possibility of future downloadable levels, or some sort of expansion. It seems with all of the praise this game is getting, they'd be stupid to not come back for more.
 
I'm gonna pick up some points cards @ Target and pick up Braid, GeoWars2, Galaga, Bionic Commado Rearmed and Castle Crashers. Good timing by target on the XBLA points sale.
 
Gameplay is absolutely brilliant! The puzzles are incredibly well thought out, you really get a sense of accomplishment after finishing each one.
 
I enjoyed the trial last night, and this game is getting absolutely gorgeous reviews, so I'll pick it up if I can split the price with a friend. I need to get another points card to be able to afford Geometry Wars 2, Braid, and Castle Crashers. XBLA is getting really expensive. These games alone are going to cost $40. I hope I can split the price on all of them.
 
[quote name='ivanctorres']I'm gonna pick up some points cards @ Target and pick up Braid, GeoWars2, Galaga, Bionic Commado Rearmed and Castle Crashers. Good timing by target on the XBLA points sale.[/QUOTE]

Points sale? Is this still going? I noticed someone mentioned a $5 deal, but said that it's over. Next weeks ad shows the price as $15 for 1600 points.
 
Wow what a interesting take on the platformer genre. At first, I couldn't even get through world 2. I was just looking at my 4 puzzle pieces like what the fuck? then, once my woman told me that I needed to use the edges and corners of the puzzle, I began making progress. It was really rewarding to see the completed 1st puzzle and then use it as a platform. This game is totally worth the 15 bucks or whatever. The watercolor backgrounds alone are worth it.

BTW, I wholeheartedly endorse this game as a family fun game in creative puzzlesolving coop.
 
I'm dying to know why Tycho thinks Braid matters. Could it be because he wants everyone to pay $20 for every episode of his little XBLA game? No, I'm sure that isn't it.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']
20080808.jpg
[/quote]

That is really true. When you put the price in perspective, and I am not a Penny Arcade fan, and I too also was not going to get Braid because of its steep price. I just dropped 8 bucks on Subway this mourning, and will probably buy a couple of beers later tonite--totaling 15 dollars or more.
 
[quote name='zewone']Game should have been 800 points because it would have sold more, and your boy Blow would be bwallin'.[/QUOTE]

I would love to see your support for that argument. It’s a conversation I’ve had many times, and it always turns out to be more complicated that it seems at face.

As an aside: I checked the Leaderboards last night and they were over 20,000. 20k in a few days is a huge jump for any game. An awful lot of somebodies are buying the game at $15.
 
[quote name='Marmosetofdeath']I would love to see your support for that argument. It’s a conversation I’ve had many times, and it always turns out to be more complicated that it seems at face.

As an aside: I checked the Leaderboards last night and they were over 20,000. 20k in a few days is a huge jump for any game. An awful lot of somebodies are buying the game at $15.[/quote]

I can support the fact that he wanted to sell it at $15 because I can see people that wanted the game in the first place buying it at that price. What he can do now is get Microsoft to drop the price and sell even more. Everyone that wanted it already have it (maybe give it another week or two), then everyone that doesn't support a $15 will get it at $10. That would be pretty smart.

I'm against $15 for an XBLA game in general. All the game critics tell us fighting with money is how it's done so I'll decline to pay $15 for it.
 
[quote name='Hostile']I can support the fact that he wanted to sell it at $15 because I can see people that wanted the game in the first place buying it at that price. What he can do now is get Microsoft to drop the price and sell even more. Everyone that wanted it already have it (maybe give it another week or two), then everyone that doesn't support a $15 will get it at $10. That would be pretty smart.[/quote]

He asked him to support the claim that the game would have sold more at 800 points. Which you didn't. (even though zewone is a known pirater, he's rarely going to defend any price for any game)
Even then, just because it sells more at less, that doesn't mean it makes more money, unless it sells past a certain point.

Your suggestion doesn't work, because lowering the price that soon just gives the finger to everyone that bought the game before. You just make enemies out of the people trying to support your work by doing that.

By your logic, all games should come out at $100 and slowly decrease in price every couple weeks until it's at the price point worth it to you. Silly.

I'm against $15 for an XBLA game in general. All the game critics tell us fighting with money is how it's done so I'll decline to pay $15 for it.
Click to expand...

Then don't. The people that like to play good games always will. And unfortunately for people like you, Braid is showing developers that games can and will do well at $15.
 
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Well, I'm not sure the exact numbers but there is a point that more people would be willing to buy this game at 800 points versus 1,200 points.

The argument would have to be broken down like this:

10 people are willing to buy the game at $15: $150 in sales.
20 people are willing to buy the game at $10: $200 in sales.

All the people who bought the game at $15 would be willing to pay $10. No one can say for sure that a lower price point would equal more money in Blow's pocket, but you can say for sure that the game would have sold to more people at $10 (as evidenced by the Penny Arcade comic and general tones from around internet forums).

I myself would have bought it at $10. At $15, it's a hard sale when XBLA games I'm more interested in are around the corner (Castle Crashers and Bionic Commando) and I just bought Geo Wars 2 last week.
 
[quote name='zewone']Game should have been 800 points because it would have sold more, and your boy Blow would be bwallin'.[/quote]


I think Blow is ballin now... the amount sold at that price makes him rich now even if MS took 50% of the money.
 
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