Bridge Constructor and The Walking Dead is not the pairing I would have imagined, but it’s surprisingly good, so long as you forget about The Walking Dead, its world, and its characters. The gameplay is your typical Bridge Constructor affair, but with the twist that you’re now helping survivors get from A to B, and there are a few walkers dotted through the levels.
I’ve been playing Bridge Constructor games for years now, and mostly on my phone, and mostly, for free. Bridge Constructor: The Walking Dead is familiar but different in that the game takes place in The Walking Dead’s world. It even has a few characters from the show turn up, but, unfortunately, there’s no Rick Grimes, so there’s no “Carl”. I had to get that in here somehow, didn’t I?
The question I found myself asking as I played through the ever-increasingly difficult levels was “who is this game for?” I’ve settled on the conclusion that it’s not for fans of The Walking Dead, but for fans of previous Bridge Constructor games.
There’s a story being told via static cut-scenes with awfully written character dialogue, but I didn’t care for it one bit. The lack of voice acting essentially ruined the dialogue as much of what comes out of Eugene’s mouth is only really funny when it’s really coming out of his mouth. Words on a screen will never be able to replace the awkward charisma of my favourite mullet-wearing nerd. Likewise, Daryl’s interactions are watered down and even if Norman Reedus was to get behind the mic, he would just sound like Norman Reedus, not Daryl Dixon, badarse walker killer, tracker, and hero.
So, if you’re hoping that Bridge Constructor will tell a tale worthy of the TV show, you’ll be disappointed. But, if you’re here just for the brain-teasing gameplay, you’ll be happy. It’s an evolution over previous games with some new additions, too. You start off with simple constructions, and then you’re guided on moving the characters around and getting them to perform actions. It’s a nice addition and it adds an extra layer, but it’s a bit fiddly and honestly, I could have done without the character actions or at least had them a little more simplified. They are fairly simple, but lining up the actions and using the d-pad often meant that I’d be switching between characters when I didn’t want to. It’s annoying, but workable.
The core gameplay is in building elaborate bridges and traps, and here is where the game does its business. If you’ve played a Bridge Constructor game before, you know what you’re getting into: hours and hours of trial and error, muffled screaming into a cushion, before the final step: jumping up with joy in your living room as you finally manage to keep your rickety bridge together long enough to get your people across. It’s simple, but very effective brain food that feeds the happy place in your brain.
Still, I’m not convinced that this team-up between Bridge Constructor and The Walking Dead is the right move for either series, and I’m hoping it’s a one-and-done deal. Because honestly, aside from Season 9, how often did you see anybody building a bridge in The Walking Dead? It’s silly and it doesn’t really keep in line with the show or the comics, but if you can suspend your disbelief for a few hours and tune out the awfully cheap cutscenes, you’re left with a very good puzzler.
Bridge Constructor: The Walking Dead PS4 Review
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Overall - Very Good - 7/107/10
Summary
Bridge Constructor and The Walking Dead isn’t the best pairing in gaming, unfortunately, but it still makes for a decent puzzler.
Review Disclaimer: This review was carried out using a copy of the game provided by the publisher. For more information, please read our Review Policy.
Reviewed using PS4 Pro.
