What you need to know
- Braid, Anniversary Edition, is a remaster of the puzzle platformer popularized during the Xbox 360 Arcade era of indie gaming.
- The remaster, originally announced in 2020, will release on PC, PlayStation, Switch, and Netflix on May 14. The Xbox edition is set to release a day later on May 15.
- New content will include 14 commentary index levels, 13 new full puzzle levels, and 12 alternate designs for original levels. The Anniversary Edition will also include improved sound, hand re-painted graphics for a new generation, smoother animation, and the ability to swap between classic and remastered versions.
Thelka, Inc. has announced an official release date for Braid, Anniversary Edition. The puzzle platformer is widely regarded as one of the best Xbox 360 games, and indie fans have anticipated the remastered edition since it was revealed in 2020. The remastered edition of the game will launch on PC, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Netflix on May 14. However, Xbox fans of the game will have to wait until May 15 for the launch of Braid, Anniversary Edition. The game will also be coming to Mac and Linux at a later, though currently unannounced, date.
Developer Jonathan Blow has announced a slate of improvements to the classic game, including hand-repainted graphics by original artist David Hellman and animations featuring extra frames for smoother in-game motion. According to developer commentary in the introduction video, the visuals of Braid have been enhanced on a scale of 9:1 pixels, with enhancements to rendering brush strokes, textures, and adding more detail to the game’s environments. Players can look forward to a combination of 40 new and alternative designs of original levels.
While 14 of the original levels will feature commentary from Jonathan Blow, 12 alternate designs of classic levels will also include commentary to help provide a behind-the-scenes look at the processes behind the new design decisions. The extensive 15+ hours of commentary includes discussions from Blow, Hellman, Marc ten Bosch, Brian Moriarty, Casey Muratori, Cris Moore, Frank Cifaldi, Martin Stig Andersen, Hans Christian Kock, and Jakob Schmid.
Unfortunately, fans of developer commentary will still need to play the game via Netflix to get the full experience, as one level will be exclusive to the service. All players can look forward to 13 new full puzzle levels, which will include 16 new puzzle pieces for a new frame, though.
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Braid’s audio and soundtrack have also undergone improvements, including new mixes and variants from Martin Stig Anderson and Hans Christian Kock. Anderson may be best known for previous work on Remedy’s Control and the follow-up to darling Limbo, Inside. Players can freely swap between the original release and the remastered version in the Anniversary edition.
