College Can Be A Nightmare: A The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication Review

By Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: PC

Not too long ago I reviewed a game called The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation (Which you can find HERE.), and gave it a decently high rating. It was a game based on a hit Taiwanese movie, and was developed by SoftStar Entertainment, the studio also behind the Xuan-Yuan Sword series. Earlier this year, a sequel titled The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication (Hereafter referred to as simply "Bridge Curse 2".) was released on PC via Steam by way of publisher PQube. I knew that I had to get my hands on it, and that's exactly what I did. Being a huge fan of the horror genre, and the first game in general, I figured this was a must-review game for me. How does it stand up to the first game? Did it improve on the gameplay elements I criticized in my last review? Is it actually scary? We'll answer all those questions and more in this review. There's a lot to cover in this one, so let's dive right in!

The "main" ghost story.

It all has to do with architecture.

Though a sequel to the original Bridge Curse game, Bridge Curse 2 tells a story that is pretty much completely unrelated to it. This time around the focus is on Wen Hua University, a school that has a long tradition of ghost tales and urban legends. Similar as the setting may be, this school is far more modern and less run down than Tung Hu University. It seems that a "Carnival of Horror" is planned by the students to showcase all the spooky tales surrounding the school, and one group of students plan to film a movie covering the story that might have started them all. This ends up becoming far too real as they come face to face with not only the ghosts from the movie they were planning to film, but all the others referenced in the Carnival of Horror as well. The Bridge Curse 2 takes place over four chapters, each focusing on a different character. Three of those characters make up the cast and crew of the student film, and one of them is a reporter covering a recent disappearance that seems to have some references to the real life case of Elisa Lam. The truth about the college is revealed throughout the course of the game, and you'll also put to rest several of the ghosts who currently call the campus home. Though its only connection to the first game/movie is the college setting, I found the narrative to be more focused this time around. The character shifts happen far more naturally, and the story itself is surprisingly easy to follow considering all the narrative shifts. There were many times where the first game felt like a series of random clips and minigames stitched together at random, while this game manages to weave in all its subplots in a way that feels like an interconnected series of vignettes. Now is also as good a time as any to mention that there is also a sequel movie to the original Bridge Curse film, but it too has nothing to do with this game. In short, this is a truly unique experience in all sorts of ways. Oh, and just in case you haven't caught onto it so far, there is no actual Bridge Curse this time around either.

That's a lot of blood...

This is basically the Elisa Lam video.

Not only is the story much better this time around, but the gameplay in Bridge Curse 2 also received a much-needed overhaul too. The first Bridge Curse game featured ghost chases that could easily be cheesed, and this was a big letdown since they were essentially the only true "gameplay" sequences in the game. You were able to basically run through them all, and skip over the stealth elements the game hoped you would use. While you will still do a fair share of running from ghosts in this sequel, it's implemented in a more engaging way. First off is the fact that the stealth elements have been greatly improved, and finally work in a way that doesn't feel broken. Inching towards a ghost, hoping it doesn't see you, finally feels as scary as it should've always been. Next up is the fact that just about every ghost encounter has some sort of unique twist to it. This might sound a little gimmicky, but it does keep them all feeling fresh and unique. Sometimes you'll be armed with a lantern that provides you the ability to drive off a ghost with a special attack, other times you'll be playing red light/green light and staying out of a ghost's line of sight, and other times still you'll be completing a timed "spot the differences" challenge. Each ghostly encounter has a twist, and all of them had the right level of challenge to them too. Nothing ever feels too difficult, but it won't be a cakewalk either.

Surviving ghost encounters is only part of the game, as Bridge Curse 2 actually plays for more like an adventure game than a survival horror one. Much of the game will see you searching for items needed to progress the story, and maybe solving a puzzle or two in order to get them. You'll also have to interact with some characters for hints or progression, though this is rather limited considering the game's small cast. Though I am a fan of this type of gameplay, it's this part of the game that felt the most like busywork. Unlike most adventure games that provide you a large area to work with, Bridge Curse 2 limits you to only the specific areas you need to explore. All non-essential areas will be conveniently blocked off by fallen debris, or simply locked. This essentially means that the game all but guides you to most puzzle solutions, and the only things you'll ever truly miss are optional bits that work towards in-game achievements. Just like the first game, this style of gameplay makes the experience feel very much like an interactive movie than a game. You don't have much influence on what's going on, and you're almost always simply moving towards the next action that will trigger a cutscene. This is the most telling in the ghost encounters, as some will happen totally automatically, and others will be playable. It all makes for rather uneven gameplay, even though I don't think any of it makes the game particularly bad.

A-Hai is best girl.

Who needs storyboards when you have models?

Before we move on with the review, let's discuss some of the things that Bridge Curse 2 gets right, and maybe a couple it doesn't. Similar to the first game, you're given a main ghost story that only seems to only be relevant at the very beginning and very end of the game. Much of the middle is filled with encounters with other ghosts, and these other ghosts make up a large chunk of the game. The first game hid a lot of the lore of these secondary ghosts behind easily missable items, but their backstories are better implemented this time around. There's also fewer of both ghosts and characters here, ensuring that each get their share of the limelight. Also, though I can't quite put my finger on why exactly they didn't work too well in the first game, the scares in Bridge Curse 2 felt much more effective than those in the first game. I was creeped out more than once during my time with the game, and it managed to get more than a few jump scares out of me too. On the negative side of things, the standard mouse and keyboard controls can make this feel rather wonky. Though a very noteworthy issue, nearly everything associated with controls can be fixed by using a compatible controller. There were also a few ghost encounters, namely the ballerina scene, where I hit a brick wall. I'm sure I only got through that section with some random luck, but having to repeatedly play the same sequence over and over again can get tiring. Then again, Bridge Curse 2 has more than enough charm to keep players coming back in spite of those minor gameplay frustrations.

A slide puzzle... puzzle.

These were fun to figure out.

Mostly due to the fact that it was the only reviewable copy of the game I was able to get my hands on, I played the first Bridge Curse game on the Nintendo Switch. I found it to be a rather rough-looking game, and I honestly assumed that SoftStar just didn't put their best foot forward as far as graphics went. The Switch is obviously underpowered, but I never expected the night and day differences from that first game to this one. I have a moderately powerful PC, but I was still blown away by how great the game looks. Don't get me wrong, Bridge Curse 2 isn't going to win any awards for its visuals, but they're so much better than the first game on the Switch that it almost feels like a different series. The character models are sharp and clear, the environments have tons of details to them, and the ghosts look downright horrifying. I was so blown away by the differences that I had to check out the original game running on Steam too, and noted that it too looked great. Even though I didn't give that Switch release a bad score as far as the visuals go, I don't see myself ever going back to it after playing both of them on PC. Then again, as of this writing, Bridge Curse 2 is a PC exclusive, so it's not like you can try it out on consoles anyway. That said, if a console release does show up down the line, skip the Switch version.

I'm starting to feel a bit like a broken record in my repeated statements regarding how much better Bridge Curse 2 is over the original, but that trend holds steady when it comes down to sound design too. This is quite an impressive feat since I considered the sound in the original Bridge Curse to be perfect as it was. Not only does this game feature some of the best I've heard in a game of this genre, but it's implemented in a way that feels very cinematic. I'm not just talking jump scare stings either, as the soundtrack swells and sways perfectly in tune with whatever is happening on screen. It's truly impressive, and something that has to be experienced firsthand in order to truly appreciate. Then there's the voice acting. For reasons I can only assume are commercial, Bridge Curse 2 has an English dub once again, but this time around it's one of the worst I've ever heard. I actually found the first game's English dub to be decent, but the one for Bridge Curse 2 is so bad that I feel it has to be intentional. Thankfully the game retains its Chinese track as well, and I suggest that everyone switch over to that as soon as they boot up the game. Not only is the acting much better there, but it also fits the game's vibe far more than the English one. I know that commercially-speaking dubs are the way to go, but I hope that SoftStar works on a better one the next time around.

This is a ghost encounter.

Why would you mess with this?

This entire review has been a tale of Bridge Curse 2 overtaking its predecessor, but I think I found one aspect of the game where it doesn't actually succeed. Even though it feels like there's more content here than in the original, Bridge Curse 2 is a shorter game. It can be beaten in about 3-4 hours, and its improved chapter system makes it easy to go back and pick up anything you might have missed if you're going for 100% achievements. Though its runtime is notably shorter, I'm fairly certain this is a matter of pacing over content. The original Bridge Curse game had long walking sections, and several "Where do I go?" moments. Bridge Curse 2 streamlines its gameplay, and keeps the action always moving forward in a way where you almost feels railroaded. This does come at the expense of much smaller areas to explore, but I do think the tradeoff works best given how tight the gameplay is. While the original game came with a rather low price of just $19.99, Bridge Curse 2 is priced at a still-reasonable $24.99. Though a bit high considering how long the gameplay experience actually is, I still feel that its pricing is spot on. I often compare cinematic games like this one to paying to go to the movies, and in this case its price can be looked at as something akin to picking up the latest horror Blu-ray release. It may not offer endless hours of entertainment, but there's value in what's here, and it can be experienced over and over again at one's leisure.

One of the craziest looking ghosts in the game.

The elevator is central to everything.

A sequel surpassing the original is anything but a new concept, but I'm still amazed at just how much The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication improved over its predecessor. It's one of the best games I've played this year, and its one that I give the highest of recommendations. It is rather limited as to the platforms it's available on as it's a PC exclusive at the moment, but I have a feeling that a console release will be coming at some point in the future. I'll most definitely be reviewing that release if it ever comes to fruition, but I'll probably forego the Nintendo Switch port this time around. Now that I've done my part in review the game, I'm off to go replay the original and re-watch both of the movies. See you in the next one!

Check Out The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2331330/The_Bridge_Curse_2_The_Extrication/

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Story: A+
Gameplay: A-
Graphics: A+
Music/Sound: A
Value: A

Overall: A

Pros:
+ Not only a great survival horror experience, but it's also one of the best games I've played this year in general.
+ Has a well-written plot, and features a memorable cast of ghosts and protagonists.
+ Each ghost encounter feels unique, and there's a great deal of backstory that you can uncover over the course of the game.
+ Has a truly spooky atmosphere, and many of the scares will keep you on your toes.
+ Though not easy, the game isn't overly challenging either.
+ Has graphics so amazing that I regret having played the first one on the Nintendo Switch,
+ Has near perfect sound design. Both music and voice are impressive.

Cons:
- Can feel more like an interactive movie than a full game at times.
- There are a couple ghost encounters, looking at you ballerina performance, that feel somewhat unfair.
- The English dub is one of the worst I've ever heard.
- May be priced a bit too high for some gamers at $24.99.
- There's no actual Bridge Curse in this one... Strange...

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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Just what is he looking at?!?!