Staring blankly at the screen, you take stock of the enemies before you, the abilities in your possession and the goal you must achieve. Muttering beneath your breathe, you start to plot out the steps you need to take in order to reach your goal. An unexpected challenge along the way  might send you back to the drawing board, looking for more answers–but like the best puzzle games before it, Braid succeeds because of the immense sense of accomplishment you feel after achieving your goal–in Braid’s case–retrieving a puzzle piece.

Selling a game about collecting puzzle pieces is tough, but to describe Braid in that way would do a disservice to the deep, well-crafted puzzles the game has to offer. Much like 2007’s critically acclaimed Portal, Braid employs a rigid rule-set that the player must abide by and consider when trying to retrieve each of the 60 puzzle pieces scattered throughout the game’s five worlds. These rules aren’t spelled out to the player, however, but must be experienced to understand. For example, one world will grant you the power to slow down movement within a particular area, while another will allow you to create a second “ghost” version of your character that will mimic your previous actions. There are also over-arching rules, such as the ability to rewind time at any point, (there’s no meter, either–the ability is unlimited) that you learn early on in the game that bind the entire experience together. Figuring out how to use your abilities in conjunction with the obstacles that the game throws at you, as well as the unique rule-set of the world you’re in is the real challenge and the real treat of the game. Specific examples would be great to give you, but for your own sake, I’ll save you the spoilers. Just know this–Braid features some of the most innovative, inventive puzzles seen in quite some time.

One of the neat features of Braid is that you do not have to collect all the puzzle pieces in order to move on to another stage. If one particular piece has you stumped, you can simply move on to the next stage and try your luck there. You do not have to collect the pieces in any sequence either–you’re only required to collect all of them to beat the game. You’ll find that if you remove yourself from a particular dastardly puzzle and simply move on, when you come back, you’ll have a new perspective on the puzzle that you did not have before–and you solve what was holding you back.

Equally stunning is the presentation of the game. Braid’s art style can only be described as like a living, breathing watercolor painting. Colors pulsate and bleed into one another, creating a sense of serenity and beauty. Artistically speaking, Braid has no match on Xbox Live Arcade. The soundtrack complements the serene vibe that the art style evokes, offering several memorable tracks.

The two slip-ups of Braid, however, are the sound effects and the storytelling. I found the sound effects to be extremely grating. It isn’t one single effect that stands out as especially annoying, but every effect seems to be working together as one giant cacophony that is hell-bent on infuriating me if I’m screwing up. Rewinding time and then not rewinding enough, and hearing the sound of my character thud into an enemy once or twice makes me reach for the remote control to mute the TV. It’s a minor complaint, I admit, but it’s worth mentioning if you’re as irascible as I am. As for the storytelling, I found it to be a little too unfocused. The developer behind Braid, Jonathan Blow, has always described the game as having a “non-linear” story. I would describe it as nonexistent. At the start of each world, you have the option to read tomes that describe a “Princess” that the main character is looking for, as well as some commentaries and reflections on relationships with both families and loved ones. The problem is that the tomes jump back and forth between narrative and commentary (and, in totality, probably don’t contain as many words as this review) so any emotional impact you’re going to receive from the game will depend our your ability to interpret what the message being presented means to you.

The main attraction, however, isn’t Braid’s narrative–the puzzles are what really matter. In this regard, Braid delivers in spades. Braid is filled to the top with smart, well-designed puzzles that will challenge even the most grizzled puzzle game veteran. Don’t let the “premium” price point of $15 (1200 Microsoft Points) scare you off–you’d be missing one of the best puzzle games to come out in years.