Bridge Constructor is coming to Playstation 4. Many people have played the successful game on iOS, Android, PC, and Xbox One, but now publisher Headup Games is bringing Bridge Constructor to PS4 users. Players use their engineering skills to build bridges with various materials in a 2D environment. If it holds up to traffic passing over it you win. Be creative, be ambitious, but don’t go over budget.
Bridge Constructor on PS4 plays the same as previous versions. Players are tasked with building bridges for the island nation of Camatuga. From the main map players pick a stage and are given a small area with the task of building a working bridge from point A to point B. After your bridge is built, players initiate a test where vehicles of various size can drive across your creation and test its limits. If you fail, players can go back and assess the stress points and modify until successful. Players are awarded points depending on how big a vehicle can successfully make it across.
Bridge Constructor players are given various materials such as wood, steel, concrete, and cables to build their bridges. You can zoom in and out and utilize a grid system to make sure your construction is lined up the way you want. There are various challenges as the areas change; there are different lengths to cross, objects and environments to work around, and in the included expansion, Slopemania, there are some fun and tricky levels where ramps can be made.
What sounds like a very basic concept is actually a very complex puzzle game. The only limit is your imagination, engineering skills, and the forced budget per level. I found Bridge Constructor to be both fun and relaxing. My whole family would sit down and offer suggestions. My daughter is a pro at Bridge Constructor from playing on our iPad. She noted the enhanced graphics for the Playstation 4 and how well the controller worked as opposed to the touch interface she was familiar with. I was so proud of her and happy to see a game teaching my 13-year-old engineering in a fun way.
My only complaint about Bridge Constructor on the PS4 was, other than the graphic improvements, there really isn’t any difference from the original mobile game. I feel like it would’ve been nice to have a full 3D rotational view of my bridge. I would have loved to be able to ride or drive the vehicles across the bridge I just built in a first person perspective, feeling that tension, because if I got it wrong, hold on tight!
With 40 main levels and 24 “sloping” levels, Bridge Constructor will keep players entertained and going back to perfect their bridges for better scores. The different background settings like city, mountains, beaches and more will keep things fresh as you progress. I highly recommend Bridge Constructor for anyone interested in engineering or puzzle games. Who knows, maybe some of the youngsters playing today will be building real life bridges in the future.
Bridge Constructor is available December 13, 2016, for Playstation 4, and is available now on Xbox One, PC, iOS, and Android. This review is based on a Playstation 4 copy provided for review purposes.