Goats On A Bridge

Developer: Cabygon Games | Publisher: Degica | Release Date: 2014 | Genre: Action / Casual / Indie | Website: Official Website | Format: Digital Download

We all know that the evil troll from the “Three Billy Goats Gruff” fairy tale got what was coming to it, but in Goats on a Bridge it is up to its old tricks. After discovering that their brother has been captured, Tempo and Chubbs do what they do best to get him back, cross some bridges. These are not ordinary bridges though, but twisting, turning, hazard filled obstacle courses that are on the verge of crumbling. Since the goats are not exactly fond of swimming they have their work cut out for them if they want to ever see their brother again.

Although it is based on the Norwegian fairy tale, Goats on a Bridge is more about the quick reflexes and platforming skills required to cross bridges and not so much the outwitting of hungry trolls. Your goal is simply to reach the end of each bridge as quickly as possible while grabbing as much coins and collectibles along the way. Of course, the bridges are anything but straightforward and to make matters worse, you have to control two goats at the same time. Each goat has their own path across the level and these routes frequently cross each other. Seeing as you are controlling each goat with a different hand which is already a challenge, the crossing paths conspire even further to mess you up.

Anyone who hears the word “bridge” and thinks about a straight structure is in for a surprise when they see the convoluted deathtraps that bear this moniker in the game. In addition to large gaps everywhere, the “bridges” are also littered with spikes and crates that have to be jumped over, and other obstacles that must be rolled under. Mixing up these two buttons are all too easy, especially when you are already controlling two goats on different paths simultaneously. Levels are timed and you can earn up to three stars depending on how fast you reach the end zone.

Unless you are ambidextrous and exceptionally good at multi-tasking it is almost impossible to maneuver both goats at EXACTLY the same time. I found myself instead rapidly switching between the two while making sure that neither moves too far ahead of the other. Don’t think that this makes the game any easier though, as you cannot leave your goats stationary for too long. After the first couple of levels the bridges slowly starts to collapse after them, which means if you dawdle too long your goat will get dunked. Ordinarily if one of your goats is knocked out or drowns it is back to the start of the level, but you can also enable the “lifesaver” mode from the options menu. Doing so prevents you from attaining a perfect three star rating for the level, but does allow you to continue from the spot where your goat died a few times which makes things a little easier. While you are at it, remember to enable “silhouettes” as well, so you can see where your goats are in spots where the bridges overlap.

The visuals of Goat on a Bridge are bright and cartoony, with the lead characters being adorable cell-shaded goats. The coins scattered around each level can be collected and then used to buy accessories for your little goats to make them even cuter. With accessories for their heads, necks, bodies and feet, the possibilities are endless. Incidentally, you purchase these accessories from a frog decked out in a top hat, monocle and cane. You can also use your hard earned coins to purchase an additional character (a corgi in case you are wondering) and dress it up as well.

The game features some cheerful tunes that fit the cartoonish theme nicely as well as the usual assortment of sound effects. When it comes to the controls playing the game with a decent controller is highly recommended. The game can be played with a keyboard though, and doing so with a different person controlling each goat is quite an experience. The default keyboard controls are a little tricky, but thankfully you can reconfigure everything to your liking. There were a few times were the controls didn’t’ feel quite as responsive as I would have liked them to be, but this didn’t detract from the experience too much.

As maddeningly difficult as Goats On A Bridge can be, it is also extremely entertaining and I definitely had a lot of fun while it lasted. The problem is it didn’t last very long as the story mode only has ten levels. Steam achievements and a “hard” difficultly setting add some replay value, but it still felt like the game ended just a little bit too soon. Thankfully, there is a “Portal of Survival” mode, which basically turns the game into an endless runner with procedurally generated levels. You can even set the block, floor and sky styles in this mode using themes unlocked from the store.

One thing is for sure, if you are not a fan of games that delight in throwing very challenging obstacles in your path, then Goats On A Bridge is probably going to be more frustrating than fun. It could definitely have benefited from a few more levels, but thanks to the endless mode and unlockable cosmetic items it still offers value for money, especially considering the reasonable price tag.