Perhaps My Dorkiest Article Yet

By Broadside Style Columnist Andy Minor

Those of you who frequently play your Xbox 360 may have encountered a game entitled Braid this past August, due for its PC release in a matter of weeks. It was an old-fashioned side-scrolling puzzle game with time travel attributes which, once mastered, proved to be a truly unique gaming experience. I was overjoyed at this, because ever since games came into the 3D realm I've been a failure. My Sega Genesis was my pride and joy growing up, and I can still beat Sonic 2 if I've got two hours to spare. But when video games became more lifelike I stayed in the dust. Braid, however, combines the more complicated puzzles of a modern game with the side scrolling fun of old (the references and homages to Mario are frequent).

One of the things that set Braid apart in my mind is the soundtrack, which I discovered after a little research to be quite unique from your typical video game set list. In fact, it sort of set me off thinking about the different ways video game music has evolved, the big names that have been involved, how one can practically make a career out of it today and how incredibly catchy it can be. Braid's music isn't necessarily catchy, but its developers did set it apart by picking already composed and recorded music which they felt added the perfect audio touch to the game's feel. This is pretty different from what I was used to from my childhood, where all games like Mega Man and Sonic had signature soundtracks. The resurgence of video game music from that era is popular again today mainly because the music brings back the fond memories of playing Mario World until your Super Nintendo overheated.

Braid's music will naturally have this same affect on anyone who has played the game, but the fact that it is previously recorded music speaks to perhaps a newer trend in the video game industry. All of you readers who aren't video gamers might enjoy the Braid soundtrack, not because of its affiliations to the game, but because it's relaxing and calm, sort of a more active newage which engages the listener with stronger melodies and a less subordinate tone. Perhaps some of you have even heard the music before the game was released. And no, this isn't exactly the same as Madden '08 playing back your favorite radio hits—this is music used to control moods, add character, and help illustrate the game's scene. I'm seeing this trend in a lot of indie movies recently as well; Juno did it last year with The Kinks and Kimya Dawson. Wes Anderson has been doing it in his films for a long time, sacrificing most of his budget for his debut Bottle Rocket to the rights to a Rolling Stones song. But unlike Braid, films usually have a mix of popular songs and pieces written specifically for them. Cue John Williams and Danny Elfman when you need mood music and cue Nickelback when you need a sweet promo song for Spiderman to hang upside-down to.

Yet perhaps it is just Braid's unique music, the fact that it was relatively unheard of unless you were really into the whole New Age scene, that is getting me so worked up.

After all, who can forget Rock n' Roll Racing, bringing you all your favorite Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath hits in 16-bit midi format? Then imagine my surprise as I was listening to the great 1940s Soviet jazz stylings of Eddie Rosner when he broke into a chorus of the Tetris theme, based originally on a Russian folk tune. Music stealing seems as alive in the video game industry as it is anywhere else music is played. Braid may very well be no different, but the fact that I can't get this music off my playlist speaks, I think, to something more influential. I really haven't even played the game very much, since I don't have an Xbox, so I haven't been able to form those relationships I mentioned earlier. When I hear the music from Braid, then, I really don't remember myself playing Braid, I simply hear some really good music.