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Score: 4.5/10
The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication promises a chilling first-person survival horror experience steeped in Taiwanese folklore, but it falls short of delivering the scares and narrative depth needed to stand out in the genre. While its visuals and level design shine, the game’s lackluster story, weak dialogue, and surprising lack of horror make it a tough recommendation for fans seeking a truly gripping experience.
Gameplay: The game offers a mix of exploration, puzzle-solving, and stealth-based ghost encounters across the haunting halls of Wen Hua University. You control four characters, each with their own perspective, over five chapters, navigating a mix of puzzles and evasion sequences. The puzzles are a highlight, ranging from straightforward to cleverly challenging, often tying into the game’s Taiwanese cultural elements. However, the gameplay loop grows repetitive, with ghost encounters relying heavily on hiding or running, which loses its edge quickly. The Anima Lantern, used to fend off spirits, adds some tension but feels underutilized. At 5-6 hours, the game doesn’t overstay its welcome, but the lack of variety in mechanics keeps it from feeling dynamic.
Graphics and Level Design: Visually, The Bridge Curse 2 is a standout. The environments, dark, labyrinthine university corridors, are meticulously crafted with detailed textures, eerie lighting, and a palpable sense of atmosphere. Ghost designs, like the broken-necked woman and the Mad Ballerina, are striking and memorable, showcasing the game’s commitment to Taiwanese horror aesthetics. The level design is intuitive, guiding players through the sprawling campus without feeling overly linear, making exploration a high point.
Story and Dialogue: Here’s where the game stumbles. The narrative, centered on a film club’s ill-fated horror project and a reporter’s investigation into a decades-old mystery, starts with promise but fizzles out. The story is bogged down by lengthy cutscenes and expository dialogue that rob players of agency, making it feel more like a B-movie than an interactive experience. The English voice acting is often criticized for being flat or overly campy, and the dialogue itself is riddled with clichés and awkward phrasing, undermining the game’s attempt at a serious tone. While the Taiwanese folklore elements add intrigue, the plot’s pacing and reliance on cinematic sequences prevent it from resonating.
Horror Factor: For a game billed as survival horror, The Bridge Curse 2 is surprisingly tame. While it nails the creepy atmosphere early on, the scares, mostly jump scares and predictable ghost chases, lose their impact by the second half. The game leans more on tension than outright terror, and the repetitive nature of enemy encounters dilutes any sense of dread. Some reviewers note chilling moments, like the Mad Ballerina sequence, but these are outliers in an otherwise lackluster horror experience. For players expecting a spine-chilling ordeal, the game feels more like a spooky walking simulator.
Verdict: The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication is a visually impressive game with strong level design and a unique Taiwanese cultural backdrop, but it’s let down by a weak story, cringeworthy dialogue, and a surprising lack of horror. The puzzles and atmosphere provide some enjoyment, but the game struggles to maintain momentum or deliver the scares it promises. As the user noted, it’s a game you can finish, but whether you’ll enjoy it depends on your tolerance for its flaws. If you’re a fan of J-horror or lore-driven adventures and can overlook narrative shortcomings, it might be worth a try on sale (around $24.99 USD). Otherwise, there are stronger horror titles out there for your Halloween fix.
Pros: Stunning graphics, detailed level design, engaging puzzles, rich Taiwanese folklore.
Cons: Weak story, poor dialogue, minimal horror, repetitive gameplay, overreliance on cutscenes.