I have been following this game all through its creation and I feel it's about time I posted about it considering I have just completed it.

Braid is like a onion, it has layers...lots of layers. On the surface it just looks like a simple platform game. Peel back a layer and you come across the time travel aspect. You could essentially complete the game in 10 minutes but you would be missing the point, as you get to the next layer you discover that you are on a search for your princess who has been kidnapped. However upon completion you realise that there could be a lot more to this plot then a simple rescue mission.

Now you arrive at the last and rather interesting layer, it turns out that you are in fact a scientist. A scientist from the 1940's...in New York, and a member of the Manhattan Project. And your princess is in fact the secret to the Atomic Bomb...

Tim the main character is a dreamer, and likes to get rapped up in his memories and thoughts which are worlds in which you have had to traverse.

I have undoubtedly let a bit more go then I should of but I have a feeling that most people who have played this game haven't discover the real drive behind Tim, and have just enjoyed the puzzle and platform aspect. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with that, its just that there is so much more to this game.

If you have an Xbox 360 then I can't recommend this game enough. I wait with baited breath for Johnathan Blow's next creation, as I have a feeling that he has even better things up his sleeves.

I was lucky enough to be invited along to the Edinburgh Interactive Festival over the weekend. It’s split up in to two areas; the free section and the not so free section for special super cool industry people.

The free part (which I recommend everyone going to next year because it was brilliant) played to host to rather cool competition called Dare ProtoPlay.

Hey look here is a flier...



There were loads of great games created by teams of students from a variety of different universities. And do you know what? There was some pretty amazing games on show.

Here’s one now:



A katamari clone, but a very stylish one none the less, and considering it has been made by a bunch of students you can see that these guys can only get better at what they do, imagine that!

I will post up some more stuff on the festival when I have more time as I saw a working copy of Little Big Planet which blew me away. Also I want to show you some more of the Dare ProtoPlay entries because they where pretty amazing.

Following my brief jaunt from the blog-o-sphere I found myself pondering upon what nugget of information to use in an attempt to thrust myself back into that particular mindset. And as I was sifting through a miasma of crappy game trailers I'm hit by the title-World of Goo.

Naturally I'm curious, who wouldn't be, add to this the fact it's listed as a Wii title and I can barely control myself.

And ooh sweet betsy was I pleased, not only does this game titivate those ascetic brain cells but this looks to be some truly ingenious gameplay. However, it was the inspiring music of this trailer that finally won me overly.




I just love the whole design of this thing, very reminiscent of my all time favourite cartoon Invader Zim.

Whats more not only can you get a pc-only preview chapter if you pre-order, it seems there are T-shirts too!!! Just head on over to the boys at 2DBoy.

I have been gathering together some more tip-bits on some of the most interesting independent, art house and just plan cool games on the web.

Braid

Braid(interesting name)...lots of blog have been playing test versions of this game and have been saying stuff like:

"The preview build of Braid comprises one of the most interesting, satisfying, beautiful game experiences I’ve ever had..."

And

"Let it be known that, at the time of writing, I envy every single person who reads this preview. Why? Because I’ve just started up … Braid for the first time, and I’ll never get to do it again. I’ll be able to play it again, sure, but it won’t ever be the same as it was just now. I can’t, unlike the game’s protagonist, rewind time and have the same experience again."

Rather high praise indeed, and to be honest. It’s hard not to get rather excited with those kinds of comments flying around. However, I haven’t played it, so I can’t really jump on the cock sucking bandwagon.

But we can all gawk at the rather impressive visuals...and they are impressive!

More games should have this hand drawn look; I think it make’s a game look loved. Like the people behind it actually care about what they are making. Not like these corporate clone games, rendered in their flawless 3D, with their voice acting and online multiplayer modes. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good mass marketed shoot ‘em up like the next guy. But I’m the first to admit that they lack soul – and a game has gots’ta have soul, its just gots’ta

I guess these Independent games are incredibly similar to independent film. The people behind them make up for the lack of finance with ingenuity and good old fashioned hard graft.

It’s a game for the Xbox 360, probably going to be sold through their Virtual console thingy. I think it looks worthy of my time and money. Just so I can give some of my money to the right peoplef for a change.



Braid Blog

Linger in shadow

Now, I have no idea what this is. Is it a tech demo? Is it in game footage?
Kotaku has no idea either. But it does show off the capabilities of the PS3.

Problem is that if it is just a tech demo, then it goes in the box with all the rest. It’s one of the PS3’s major flaws:

TOO MANY TECH DEMOS, NOT ENOUGH IMPLEMENATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY!

Give them games, actual games people can play. Imagine that. If it is a game, then it smells a lot like some kind of Final Fantasy clone.

Love

I’ve decided to follow this one. The MMO that I mentioned a few posts back. It sounds awesome. But I do have one reservation about it. What normally happens when you give people the chance to manipulate anything in a persistent online world, they tend to course utter Chaos. Just look at the mess that is Second Life.



I hope this doesn’t go the same way but it’s hard to see how it won’t. We just love to annoy each other, especially when it’s behind a face less avatar where you don’t have to take any responsibility for your behaviour.

I like the idea that people can create their own story. "Hey, you were that guy that ruined this section of the environment with all these annoying statues"

This is a question has been thrown around a lot recently. Apparently a dead sheep in a box is considered art, but a computer game that can touch you on an emotional level, and just genuinely looks amazing isn’t. Its utter maddness.

The bigger problem is how games are perceived by our ageing population. They seem to think it perfectly acceptable to sit down in front of mind dissolving soap all night, but then they have the gall to question you when you spend more the 30 minutes playing a computer game, and not joining in with their vigil in front of the twat box.

Charlie Brooker seems to be the only sensible voice on TV when it comes to defending our genre. A rare visionary in a sea of absolute idiots.



The BBC are the worst offenders when it comes to games coverage. Their ridiculously ill informed views on gaming actually make me sick to my stomach. I literately shout abuse at the TV when I see some of their reports.

"A computer game will never beat a good book"

That sentence was actually uttered by a BBC reporter when discussing the Wii...I MEAN COME ONE, HOW OUT OF TOUCH ARE YOU!

Phew, I just need to take a moment to catch my breath.

Anyway back to games and art. Here are two examples of what I consider art. They are both made by independent gaming companies, as the creatives in the industry tend to gravitate there.

Love

Little is now about this game, except that it’s a little bit like a MMORPG, little bit like a FPS, and a little bit like an adventure game. Sounds sweet huh?







I’m assuming that these are just bits concept work, but if they try and keep this visual style then I think it will be an incredibly impressive game. One that I will definitely be seeking out for purchase.

Limbo

Again, little is know about this game. I’m guessing that it’s a platformer that will probably appear on the PC, it Might turn up on Xbox Live. But it's worth going to their site and watching the trailer.







I think at some point in the future, games will come of age. It will probably be with my generation. I’m 24, my brother is 31 and we are still in to gaming. We refuse to give up something that we enjoy just because it is seen as immature.

FUCK YOU OLD PEOPLE, AND FUCK YOU BBC!

Phew, rant over!

Gaming innovation doesn’t really come along that often but when it does its one of those things that I think has to be savoured. I also think that it’s the responsibility of the people in the know to spread the word about these gems, be it word of mouth or via a blog post.

So meet Pez. Don’t let the first minute of this trailer fool you; it fooled me. I thought this was just a clip from an old Snes game. Oh boy was I wrong.

Take a look:


(It's basically Paper Mario on crack)

From what I can gather the game will be launched on the Xbox live Arcade where hopefully this independent developer will receive some of the much earned profits. Apparently this game was built using XNA software. According to microsoft its “a powerful next-generation software development platform. XNA empowers developers to deliver breakthrough games while combating rising production costs and ever-increasing hardware complexity”

Hopefully this means a whole new generation of independent games companies will be able to sell their wares to a wider audience. Much like the internet did for up and coming rock bands...the next few years could be the start of a influx of new independent games.

Here are some others that I know about and are worth checking out:

Crayon Physics
Aquaria
Cloud