Displaying more inventiveness than pretty much anything else released this summer, Braid is a revelation. On the surface this is a Mario-style platformer - think jumps, pipes, spikes and cute enemies - but Braid is basically a puzzle game. This is an infuriating/exhilarating brain-teaser that asks you to both navigate the world and find the goodies within. The use of the time is the key. Pressing a button allows you to rewind your previous moves - always handy when you die. But the real use of time is allowing you to manipulate the game world. Some items are immune to your time fiddling, allowing the designer to set up some fiendish puzzles. It looks good, too. The beautiful backdrops and classical music are a world away from the gaming norm. Longevity is an issue, especially if you succumb to online playing guides. But by being both highly original and a pleasing pointer to how smaller download games can offer much-needed originality, Braid is a real treat.
Xbox Live Arcade, £10.20 (1200 Microsoft points), cert 3+, Microsoft/Jonathan Blow