Time for Braid : a philosophical view of a digital game

Abstract

"Tim is off on a search to rescue the Princess. She has been snatched by a horrible and evil monster," (Blow, 2009, World 2). Braid begins on a very straightforward path. The protagonist of the game is on a mission from the beginning of the opening text. The path is outlined and so is the cause of these events "This happened because Tim made a mistake," (ibid.). What the mistake is, however, is not clear. The player (who controls Tim) thus follows the path that is laid out in order to retrieve the Princess. While doing this, the player discovers more about Tim and the Princess' relationship and the events that led to the kidnapping. I will analyse the game in terms of design and the content of the story whilst also showing some of the philosophical inclinations of these aspects. Having said this, if you wish to play the game in the future, do not read the following because this article is riddled with spoilers.