The title is a reference to the post I made back after the E3 presentation of Dead Space where I said Dead Space LOOKS to be scary good.  Well, it's confirmed, it is both genuinely scary, and very very good.  Granted I'm only through 2 (almost 3) of the 12 total chapters, but I don't see how I could be let down at this point.  Game mechanics are awesome; Textures, backgrounds, and lighting are all gorgeous; sounds do EXACTLY what they're intended to do, and that's bring about everything from feelings of tension, stress and paranoia to just downright disturbed.  You have to expect to be startled here and there in a game like this, but I've already had several instances that startled me to the point that I literally yelled out loud (and probably let out a curse word or two immediately after).  They seriously should include an official pair of "Dead Space" underwear with the game for all shit-your-pants moments this game provides.

The campaign also is looking like it's going to be a very respectable length as well, for me anyway.  The first 2 3/4 chapters have taken me close to 4 hrs, meaning this could be a 20+ hr campaign from start to finish (and that's just gameplay time not counting dying and replaying areas).  It may not take that long for most, however, since I'm particularly maticulous when it comes to games like this.  I'm pretty anal about leaving no stone unturned and if I find an item that gives me access to a storage room or something I couldn't access previously, I won't think twice about backtracking 5 min. to access that area. (case in point: I've already found a supply room that's blocked by some sort of organic mass, which won't go away with any gun or even the flamethrower, but I'll be damned if I don't make it in there eventually)

Anyway, I still have a lot of game to get through before I make my final assessment, but up to this point, this one's up there in one of my top 360 games I've played.  I'll post my final review of the game once I get through it.

I figured it was only a matter of time before Yahtzee Croshaw decided to feature Braid in his weekly reviews.  I mean after all, the game he gives highest acclaim for is Portal, and Braid and Portal share some of the same revolutionary characteristics.  Not only did he review it, he pretty much put it up there on his list with Portal and had very little to say about it negatively, which is why I decided to post his review since I also raved about braid in a post earlier this month.   For those of you unfamiliar with Yahtzee, I give you his bio:

"Yahtzee is a British-born, currently Australian-based writer and gamer with a sweet hat and a chip on his shoulder. When he isn't talking very fast into a headset mic he also designs freeware adventure games and writes the back page column for PC Gamer, who are too important to mention us. His personal site is www.fullyramblomatic.com"

He is the voice behind Zero Punctuation: the weekly non-descrimitive, non-apologetic game review video with unique animation, clever one-liners and incredibly fast brit-speak.  Oh yeah, and it's freakin hilarious.  He's known for his particularly unforgiving reviews, which is why I'm posting his review of Braid, one of the few good reviews he gives.  After watching this one, browse through and watch some of the others he's done.  They're all funny as hell.  Make sure you put your headphones on though, it's NSFW.

Anyway, here ya go.

In the almost two years that I've had my 360, I've only purchased like two XBLA titles, and rraaarely even play those.  Up until this point I just hadn't seen any that peaked my interest enough to fork over $5-$10 for em.  I've come close, just never committed.  I always had a regular release title that I was more interested in playing at the time.  Until now.

I had seen a few posts on Braid coming out on XBLA a week ago or so, but it just looked like another bland platformer at first glance.  Then earlier this week I saw a post on X3F acclaiming it for it's beauty, originality and sheer addictiveness.  After playing the demo, and then almost immediately forking over the 1200 ms points for it, I have to say I concur.

Braid is a puzzle platformer for Xbox Live Arcade, but not your normal puzzle platformer.  There are several parallels with this platformer and super mario brothers, but only on the very basic level.  They're both platformers and they both have levels, worlds, castles and princesses, but other than that Braid goes off in a very different direction.  You have no "lives", only an intuitive ability to rewind time.  If you die, you rewind time and avoid the obstacle.  The ability to rewind time is heavily incorporated into the game and how you solve the puzzles.  When I say puzzles, I mean them in both senses of the word.  Each "level" is a puzzle figuring out how to collect actual puzzle pieces located in various spots.  You collect all the pieces, and put them together, you complete the "world".

For an XBLA game, Braid is gorgeous.  Not in the usual 3d graphics, textures, physics sort of mentality, but in the standard sense of the word.  Backgrounds look painted, and fit very well with the feel of the game.  The music is also great and completes the game atmosphere.  With the music and art involved in the game, think "renaissance platformer".  Yes, it sounds "different" to say the least, but it works.

Long story short, if you have a 360, Braid is a highly addictive, entertaining XBLA title that should not be missed.  At the very least, download the demo and check it out for yourself.

Update: Hilarious penny arcade comic for any of you bitchin about it costing 1200 pts.

Update: X3F (xbox360fanboy.com) further goes on to acclaim Braid one of the rare gems in gaming.

Update: Gamespot says, "A moving story, serene visuals, and brilliant puzzles make Braid an adventure that you absolutely should experience."

Click the "read more" link below to check out some of the gameplay footage:

Promising looking game from id Software (creators of quake, doom, etc.).

I first saw glimmers of this game several months back, but wasn't totally sure how it would turn out. I mean it looked cool, but there are tons of games that look cool with the first trailers and generated hype, that turn into complete flops (haze, for instance).  Plus, it's a FPS from EA Games, who hasn't had the best of luck producing shooters.

Now with E3 over, and all the gameplay videos, dev diaries, game previews, and concept explanations out there, I can confidently say that this is up there on my list of anticipated releases (October '08). Graphics are supposedly phenomenal, gameplay and storyline is unique, and, well, it's gonna be scary as hell. The lullaby trailer (embedded below) alone makes me think I'm gonna need to stock up on my Oops I Crapped my Pants before I get this game.

Don't let the semi-cheesy name and synopsis fool you, using a similar artistic style to the new Prince of Persia and keeping close to the animation style of the tv series the game's based on, this one looks promising....and the trailer is just cool as hell. Plus Samual L. Jackson and Ron Perlman are doing the voice acting. Diggin the soundtrack too :) (soundtrack's bein done by the RZA)

Ok, so up until not too long ago, I've really had no real incentive to get a PS3.  Yeah there's been a few decent titles, it's got blu ray, yada yada, but there really wasn't enough to persuade me...until now. 

First, thing was the whole blu ray thing and I had HD DVD, so I had no immediate need (want) for the other HD format.  Well HD DVD is dead now, and most blu ray players alone are over $300; either approaching or exceeding the price of a PS3.  That alone could be the reason for me to get one now.  If I want to get a blu ray player, why not spend just as much and get a PS3?

Now blu ray is all well and good, but more importantly, what about games?  Well the PS3 is actually starting to garner a decent list of current and future exclusives that are making me hard pressed to find a reason why I shouldn't own a PS3 right now.  Here's a brief list of current and future titles I'd definitely add to my library...

Ok...now I truly have a reason to get a PS3...

Despite the controversial art direction they went with in this one, it still looks very very promising.  Obviously going more with "beauty" than the dark, gritty atmosphere the other titles in the series had.  Having Sigur Ros as the trailer music is a nice touch as well. :)

Holy crap this game's gonna be awesome...

Update: figured I'd include the poem recited in the trailer. kinda cool :)

I have a rendezvous with death,
at some disputed barricade.
It may be it should take my hand,
and lead me into his dark land,
and close my eyes and quench my breath.
I have a rendezvous with death,
and I, to my pledged word am true.
I shall not fail that rendezvous.