Gameplay

Ponti what?

The point of Pontifex is the same as Bridge Builder - to build bridges. Instead of leaving you in two dimensions as the Bridge Builder did, Pontifex pushes you into the realm of 3D. The goal of the two games remains the same; get the train across the bridge in one piece. Each level gives you a certain amount of money within which you must construct your bridge. Sound simple enough doesn't it?

Train cam!

The inverted P bridge, a classic

A little broken...

Materials

Also new to this version are the materials available for building. The old version left you with a single material for all your building needs. Need a deck? Lay down the white line. Need some structural support? Lay down another white line. Need some cabling? Play a different game. With Pontifex there are two different modes of construction: Normal and Complex. In the Normal mode, there are three construction elements: light steel, heavy steel and cabling. The deck is laid out on a preset path, which is built by using any of the aforementioned materials. In Complex mode, the deck can be placed at any angle. As a result a new material is introduced, aptly named Deck.

Once in Complex mode, a whole host of bridges can be built. With the freedom to lay your deck at any height, the only thing stopping you is the train's ability to climb inclines. This only gets better once you learn how to use the different steels. The heavy steel comes at quite a cost, but it can carry a great deal of weight. The light steel is considerably weaker, but gets the job done when cost is of concern. Both steels have a limited to how long the beam can be, many lengths must be used in order to cross great distances. Enter cabling, probably the single best addition to the game. With this material you are able to connect large spans together with a minimal amount of cost.

Weakest link?

No siree! Strong as an ox.

More cabling

It's about finesse

Pontifex brings quite a few different styles of bridges with it that you can build. The original only let you build rigid structures because of the single building material. In Pontifex, the combination of heavy steel, light steel, and cabling can lead to just about any type of conventional bridge. Want to build the Golden Gate? Check. Want to build a simple freeway overpass? You can do that too. Want to bust out with a massive self-supporting arch? I believe that's called a hat trick. With a combination of ingenuity and materials, you can build multiple solutions to the same type of span. It's actually quite interesting to see what other people come up with; the results can be totally different depending on how you think.