My take, very clearly presented

Mega Spoiler:

Tim was the evil castle ruler. He built his castle after searching for the princess all his life. He loved her because she reminded him of his beloved mother.

The beginning of the game takes place when Tim kidnaps the princess, only for her to be rescued. He spans the rest of the 6 worlds searching for her.

However, all this was a drama playing out in his head. His real princess was an old girlfriend that loved him. However, he ignored her and let her go, due to his obsession with the figurative princess of his dreams. The one who was rescued.

The entire world 1 is played in reverse all the way up to the point Tim jumps on the glowing platform. The knight rescues the princess, and Tim never finds her.

The entire written text story of the game could take place before the game ever starts, or after it's over, but not during. The text is not indicative of actual events during the game, nor is it a symbol of actions. It's a commentary on the mental state of Tim, not his physical actions(or in this case mental) within his own brain.

So, there ya go. Blow wins.

Well, my view is a bit different... the ending of the game (chapter 1)  is when everything actually starts. The princess (or most likely his old girlfriend) ran away from him and leaves him. The story can be comprehended chronologically by reading the chapters in numeric order. After his girlfriend leaves him, Tim remembers he did and told things to her that one "should tell only to the true love", which indicates a immature relationship (chapter 2).


Then Tim starts to travel the world in search of a "real" princess he could love without restrictions and one that could provide him true happiness. He search for castles hoping to find any princess on them but all of his efforts seem to fail. However, Tim learns more about life on his journey. At the end he realizes that it's necessary to build his own castle...  the journey didn't led him to the princess but provided him the stones to build his own castle, and possibly he is to become a "prince".


"The secret is not to run after the butterflies, but to take care of your garden so they come to you". It's a proverb about relationships here in Brazil.


On his journey Tim also succeeds professionally, and the creation of the atomic bomb can be interpreted in many different ways... that professional life doesn't define who you are, or that our paths throughout life are necessary for our learning in this life regardless what we have created or done to the world.


The way time is affected on the different levels are metaphorically constructed to represent the obstacles Tim faces on his journey, like his swimming against the tide (he wants to bring peace to the world with the atomic bomb, putting an end to all wars, but other people wants to create more war with it) or his desire to reverse the situation with his old girlfriend (at world 2 where time reversal is the only thing he can do).


Braid is win.

@malalol: That's an interesting interpretation... and I really need to play this game again!