It is just an easy narrative trope to throw if you are a lazy journalist having to write an article. Braid was a very successful indie game. Even if you don't

It is just an easy narrative trope to throw if you are a lazy journalist having to write an article. Braid was a very successful indie game. Even if you don't consider the early games such as Doom as indies, there has been cult games like Uplink way before Braid. It just arrived at the right time in order to be published on consoles as well (and with the right portable gameplay).