The Bridge (XBLA)

Puzzles exist in all kinds of forms in the gaming world. You'll find puzzle oriented games like Tetris, and even games such as RPGs that incorporate puzzle solving as a means to further move along a story. Things like 'Resident Evil', and 'The Legend of Zelda' come to mind. While those are all good examples of what puzzle solving can do to benefit a game I think Ty Taylor's vision takes that genre one step beyond. In "The Bridge" you'll find a protagonist that is a lot like Sir Isaac Newton. His mind is constantly busy solving riddles, and puzzles even in his dreams. Like Sir Isaac's classic tale about discovering gravity this particular game opens up with the main man resting under a tree as an apple abruptly knocks him on top of the head. Upon awaking (or not) this man of vision is plummeted head first into a surreal world filled with labyrinthine puzzles that would rack even the most intelligent mind to the point of breaking. Not only is he trapped in this M.C. Escher-inspired nightmare, but there's also a menace pursuing him as well as locked doors preventing his escape.

As the gamer it is your job to guide this poor soul through 48 puzzle filled rooms which in turn will unlock the protagonist's genius understanding. As it stands this man's thoughts are teetering between chaos, and order. The only way to find order, and make sense of the nightmarish realm that this man finds himself in is to solve puzzles, and gain access to the exit doors at the end of each one. As complicated as the task is the controls behind the mechanism are simple to apply. By tilting/rotating the dream world left, and right (RT & LT) you can turn the maze-like structures allowing safe passage for the main protagonist.

As one might imagine everything is not straightforward though. Just as the worlds beyond the doors are twisted so are the means of escape. Aside from traversing the 2D topsy-turvy mazes you'll find that additional threats in each puzzle oriented room include such things as a boulder like demon known as the "Menace" as well as the possibility of passing into a gravity-less oblivion should you step of a ledge. You have to realize that nothing in these surreal environments go along with the laws of physics. As such things like gravity are non-existent, and floating out into eternity is a very likely possibility, as unfortunate as it may be.

The game itself is divided up into four sets of rooms that each contain up to six rooms each. After completing one successfully you will be taken to the next until the core room is completed. As you make progress different elements will be added to enhance the difficulty of the puzzles at hand. Some puzzles will merely require getting a key, and making it to the exit door while others will involve dodging the "Menace", and incorporating the newly added puzzle features that are revealed along the way. As far as puzzle features go you'll find added difficulty in the form of an inescapable swirling vortex, and inversion switch (changes the protagonist from white to black in order to access specific types of doors as well as gather specific keys), a veil curtain which allows for rotating the playing field without being moved yourself, and a mixture of all three.

Another thing you have to keep in mind while solving these puzzles is that your errors can be fixed. In a way it's like other XBLA titles such as "BRAID". By pressing, and holding down the "B" button you can reverse time, and take the main man back to a point where you can get a proper handle on things. If need be you can also reset the puzzle from the beginning via the "START" menu. All are very useful tools when it comes to solving the more troublesome puzzles of the game. Supposing you master the first 4 core rooms, and pass the bridge you can test your puzzle solving skills even further by revisiting the levels in a mirrored version of the game. Once you complete the original puzzles, and the mirror puzzles you can give yourself a proper pat on the back, because you will have just mastered one of the most mind bending puzzle games ever to grace the Xbox 360.

Now on to the verdict ...

When it comes to video games I'm usually a gamer who loves all genres, and respects all genres. In the case of puzzle games though I often times meet my match early on, and end up getting frustrated to the point that I give up entirely. When it comes to Ty Taylor's creation however I find myself thoroughly amused by the challenges at hand as the artwork is amazing, and the puzzles are engaging. I did reach a few points where I thought it was going to be the end of the road for me, but through perseverance I was able to master the first 4 core rooms without too much trouble. The mirrored rooms on the other hand were a bit more difficult seeing as the transition from right to left really threw me for a loop. Even so I found the experience to be a noteworthy one, and one that definitely deserves some praise. The developer behind this game has to be a genius, and for his intelligent design, and easy to understand gameplay mechanics I applaud him tenfold. If you haven't given this game a try yet I highly suggest you do so. I personally think it's worth a purchase just for the bragging rights alone. To be able to say that you beat "The Bridge" is truly a praise worthy accomplishment, believe me.