Normally the "Oh Shit" moments in gaming happen while the game is being played. In the case of Braid it happened well after I finished it.
I have a considerable amount of regret associated with this excellent title.
I have a policy of not reading ANYTHING about puzzle or story-driven games online while I'm playing them. Braid is both so I took extra care not to spoil anything by reading articles about the game. I knew it was getting lots of acclaim, I saw the Penny Arcade comic, that's all I needed to part with my $15.
So I played the game. It's probably going to squeeze into my top 10 all time list. The plot left me a little puzzled so I went ahead and read a few posts and FAQs about the plot.
BIG MISTAKE on my part. A major portion of the game's brilliance was denied to me because I failed to sit down for longer with the game to piece together clues and unravel the plot on my own.
If you're playing Braid and you finish it and you're thinking "so WTF happened?" then YOU DID NOT FINISH IT. Even if you don't care about plot in games be aware that the plot requires a "solution" so to speak. It's gameplay in the strictest sense of the word. I don't believe you get an achievement for it. It's THAT secret. Too secret for me, apparently.
The "Oh shit" moment happened when I wished I could reverse time and un-learn what I had learned after I underestimated the game.
Heh one of my friends finished braid and was like wtf happened and when i explained my take on it his words went kind of like this. "OH SHIT, you have just changed my life." I'm sorry the internets destroyed you figuring it out on your own but hey atleast you now know and wont have to be the guy that "didn't get it"
My "Oh shit" moment?
When I realized it's Mario but in the future.
Also, the game has no point.
What Oh Shit moment? Did you figure out the game is about a..
Spoiler
atomic bomb :3
/Spoiler
So hows your day Dtoid?
Actually I thought I read in an interview with Jon Blow he said it totally has nothing to do with the atomic bomb theory, though he said it was a clever idea.
ATOMIC BOMB?!
There needs to be more Games like this in the Modern industry. I see you do a lot of work with Retro Games. I am planning to do an Article on "Project Firestart" once I finish up with writing up the Quest For Glory Series. You should check out some of my stuff if you like old Sierra titles and such.
Laters