Analysis of The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication

SOFTSTAR immerses us in a cursed university in Taiwan, full of ghosts and spirits without very good intentions…

Every year in October, when Halloween night is celebrated, many producers linked to ghosts, monsters or murderers go to the market. Whether in the cinema or in the world of video games, there are always several products linked to a terrifying theme. One of these products is the work to be done. The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication is an independent title, developed by the Taiwanese studio SOFTSTAR Entertainment, which despite its small problems, will give us terrifying nights.

A cursed university

The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication has a very interesting story. We are at a well-known university in Taiwan, where, years ago, the daughter of the architect who designed it was brutally murdered. Since then, many legends have circulated among students. This fame will lead four different characters (our protagonists) to go to college. The game tells the story of each of these characters independently, since each takes place in different years. These seem unrelated to each other… but in reality they are all related. For example, we will find the plot of a journalist who goes there to investigate a series of strange events, or of some boys who want to record a film recreating the murder of a girl… A four-hour story, with charismatic characters, which mixes terrifying legends and humor, what more could you ask for?

Fear, stealth and puzzles

If we talk about the playable part of The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication, we are faced with a horror Walking Simulator enormously influenced by the greatest current representatives of the genre. With a first-person view, we must advance through fairly linear environments, while we must flee or hide from various ghosts or entities. All this with a good dose of puzzles that add variety to the adventure. In fact, in this section, the title does not stand out at all, it is simply consistent. Some of the stealth sections are quite fun, and there are a few clever puzzles here and there, but it’s clear that the main focus of the title is its story.. In addition, despite some secrets or collectibles, exploration is very limited, often with walls represented by tables, backpacks or various school materials, which will prevent us from moving forward.

Modest audiovisual section

The Bridge Course 2: The Extrication shows off its independent production values. But that’s not a bad thing at all. The game is correctly compliant in the audiovisual section, but it is true that it does not reach the quality quotas of higher budget products. This is noticeable in the somewhat flat textures and somewhat repetitive scenarios. However, there are aspects in which it positively surprised me. The characters are well recreated and the different ghosts have a remarkable level, managing to convey fear and anguish. The Series X title runs great, without any graphical issues or frame drops.

In the sound section, the work of SOFTSTAR It stands out in many aspects, but neglects others. For example, The Chinese dubbing of the title is exceptional, fully immersing you in the story and characters.. On the other hand, the English dub is quite poor, with low-level performances. Another sound issue is lip syncing. This is often poorly implemented, taking you out of the story several times. On the other hand, the ambient sounds, and in particular those of the spirits wandering around the university, are very successful, almost all giving a very bad atmosphere.

Conclusions

The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication is a title that horror fans, and especially Asian horror fans, will love. It is a title similar to other proposals like Visage or Amnesia, but with its own identity. The story is the strong point of the product. It’s about four hours long, full of scary moments, Taiwanese legends, and a very funny pinch of dark humor. We are faced with an independent proposal, and this is noticeable in aspects such as the gameplay, which includes ingenious puzzles or good infiltration phases, is very limited. The audiovisual section also has a multitude of lights and darks. Despite all its problems, the work of the guys at SOFTSTAR is more than recommended if you want to spend a few nights of pure fear.