Controls are simple, however you'll need to have precise platforming skills in order to complete some of the trickier stages in "The Bridge." You'll be moving your character with the analog stick or D-pad, and the A button lets you activate switches (more on these later). Holding down the B button will send you traveling back in time to fix mistakes. You'll be using it a lot.
In each level of the game your aim is to get to and through a door. The puzzles in "The Bridge" start off innocent enough, introducing you to the core ideas you'll need to learn in order to solve the game's much more complicated later levels. For instance in the first level "The Loft" all you need to do is rotate so that you can walk on one of the columns that was holding the ceiling up, which becomes a bridge to the other side of the screen where the door is. The game is separated into four chapters, each with six stages, the difficulty of which quickly escalates.
You'll encounter "menaces," giant rolling rocks with sadistic grins that'll kill you upon contact. Then you'll need to find a key to open doors. Vortexes that'll suck you in like a black hole. Switches which'll invert your color from black to white or vice versa. A Menace that's black can't hurt you if you're white, however you won't be able to pick up a black key without being black or go through a white door without being white. There's buttons that close vortexes, and a very important "veil" that can shift the way gravity affects certain objects.
As you progress through each puzzle you can't help but feel smart for figuring out the clever answer. Curiously though there doesn't seem to be a stable difficulty curve. I found that some levels took in excess of an hour and then the next one might be finished in less than five minutes. Likewise, once you've figured out how to beat a particular level it can often be replayed within just a few minutes. For most though, a solution can be gleamed within half an hour, resulting in an "aha!" moment where you feel really proud of yourself.
After you've finished the first 24 puzzles you'll play through the game a second time in a "mirrored" universe. Things are much harder than doing everything backwards here, and even though some of the previous level may have seemed really difficult it's all just one big set up and is nothing in comparison to the real challenges that "The Bridge" will put your mind to.
In the mirrored universe you'll have to deal with multiple balls, characters, keys, and doors. A lot of the problems will trick you into trying to solve it one way, when the answer is the complete opposite. In earlier stages trial and error will help you get through, however luck is removed from the equation as you advance. Several of the solutions involve using momentum to make your character or objects reach areas they wouldn't normally be able to otherwise, and the "veil" becomes a very important tool.
There's a mysterious story to go along with your character (which we won't spoil), which has a surprising ending that's left open for interpretation. You'll either go "wow" or be left scratching your head. Even after the game's finished observant players will notice that some loading screens have clues to find hidden "wisps," which combine to create a picture.
It took 22 hours for me to complete both the normal and mirrored worlds in "The Bridge," however your playthrough length will vary based on your spatial intelligence. That said, "The Bridge" certainly isn't for everyone. If you aren't a patient person, then you probably don't want to come near this game as you'll find it incredibly frustrating. However if you have a sadomasochistic personality "The Bridge" is right up your alley. Several of my personal favorite indie games in the past few years were "Braid," "Limbo," and "Super Meat Boy." If you enyoyed any of those titles then I'm certain you'll fall in love with "The Bridge. Don't need to take my word for it though: You can download the demo for free.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
"The Bridge" is currently available on Xbox LIVE Arcade for $9.99. For more information about the game visitwww.thebridgeisblackandwhite.com, like it on Facebook, or follow it on Twitter. Please note this review was based off a free review copy received from the game's publisher Midnight City. Did you enjoy this article? Please share it and subscribe for updates.
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