I'm not so sure about hidden meanings or whatnot. The story has a little bit of sense to it in suggesting the folly of personal obsession, but it feels to me a bit like a game version of American Pie or Stairway to Heaven or something like that. Lots of interpretations, but I'm not sure there's any agreeable true meaning (and just the same, quite possibly some evil messages when played backwards...).


















Edit: Oh, my mistake! I've indeed discovered the true meaning of Braid!

People are silly with their theories that the princess is a bomb, btw. There is like, one screen about the trinity test, and the rest is completely unrelated. It was used as an example to give you feelings about unforseen and unintended consequences, and was presented in just a throw-stuff-at-you, unrelated way because that was the method of choice by the developer to present nearly everything. A lot of story in the game made no sense, but was there to cause you, the reader, to have an emotional reaction to it that carries over to the part of the story that does make sense. Then, of course, at some parts none of it makes sense, and all you are left with is unguided and confused feelings. I think it is possible to look back at the game with those feelings and make a conclusion out of it, as long as you open your head to the fact there isn't one final, linear answer that puts everything together.

There's a response at this link that really takes an interesting approach to it, saying that the presentation uses metaphors of a metaphors.