Braid (2008): runs on Windows 11, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck?

Gamicality score 91 / 100

Playability today ★★★★★ 5

Runs today5 / 5
Design today5 / 5
See the checks

Steam user reviews Very Positive

9,761 reviews93% positive
Steam store page

Released: 2008
Developer: Number None
Genre: Casual, Indie, Strategy
Best version today: The original was delisted in 2024 and replaced on sale by Braid, Anniversary Edition, which adds redrawn art and developer commentary; owners of the original keep it, and some players feel the remake adds little for its higher price.
Runs on: Windows, macOS, Linux, Steam Deck
Last checked: October 31, 2026

Does Braid run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11	Expected to work. It is sold for Windows today and no problem is on record. SourceNo player reports yet
Mac (Apple Silicon)	Steam sells a Mac version. Not yet confirmed on Apple Silicon. SourceNo player reports yet
Linux	Yes, there is a native Linux version. SourceNo player reports yet
Steam Deck	Verified by Valve: it works great on Steam Deck. SourceNo player reports yet

Played it lately? Tell other players whether it works for you. One click, no account. How we check where it runs

Synopsis

A puzzle platformer about Tim, who searches for a princess across a series of painted worlds. Death is never final because time can be rewound at will, and each world bends that power in a new way to build puzzles around collecting scattered picture pieces.

What people say

Critics at its 2008 debut praised its inventive time puzzles and painterly art, while its abstract, text-based story split opinion. Players today still single out the puzzle design as some of the best in the genre and praise how each world twists the rewind idea. Complaints center on a short running time, a story some find confusing or thin, and optional stars hard enough that many players turn to guides.

Playability today

Playability runs from 1 to 5. It is the average of two parts. Each part starts at 1 and climbs to 5 as more of its checks pass. Read the method.

Runs today: 5 / 5

✓Sold today from an official store
✓Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
–Single-player works without an internet connection
–All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
–Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
✓Full controller support or remappable controls
✓Steam Deck Verified or Playable
✓No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
✓No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
–No known game-breaking bugs in the current version

Filled in from the Steam store and Valve’s Steam Deck rating. Checks marked – are unknown and do not count until someone checks them.

Design today: 5 / 5

✓Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboardMovement uses only a few buttons with full controller support, and no control complaints turned up in player reviews. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, steamcommunity.com.
✓Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screensThe game has almost no interface beyond simple menus and painted scenes, and no readability complaints turned up, though evidence on this point is thin. Source: steamcommunity.com.
✓Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progressRewinding removes the cost of death entirely and progress is kept per world, so little is ever lost; evidence beyond the rewind design itself is thin. Source: steamcommunity.com.
✓It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progressEach world introduces its time rule through play, and while the main puzzles are hard, players mostly reserve guides for the optional hidden stars. Source: steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.
✓Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtrackingThe game lasts only a few hours and every level is a distinct puzzle, with no grind or filler. Source: steamcommunity.com.
✓Camera and movement never fight the playerIt is a side-on 2D game with a fixed view, and no movement complaints turned up in reviews. Source: steamcommunity.com, pcgamingwiki.com.

Judged against games made today, from complaints that recur in recent Steam reviews and discussions, forums, PCGamingWiki and community wikis. Each reason links to where it comes from.