Bridge Command is a unique immersive experience in London where you and your pals pilot a futuristic spaceship through a series of missions in an ever-changing sci-fi galaxy…
Contents
Bridge Command rewards repeated visits
Does Bridge Command have a story
A Brief history of Bridge Command
Things to know before playing Bridge Command
What’s the current status of Bridge Command?
What is Bridge Command?
Bridge Command is an impressive immersive experience built into a railway arch in Vauxhall, London. When you enter Bridge Command you take on the role of a crewmember on board a Star-Trek-like space ship, in the service of the United Confederation Navy.
Each player takes on a role within the ship. Someone acts as Captain, while others fly the ship, manage comms, calibrate and fire weapons, or conduct emergency repairs when the ship is damaged.
Most players will have a computer terminal which they use to manage the bulk of their duties, but at various points you might also be required to go and physically fix a blown fuse, negotiate with a live actor in person or on the big screen, load and unload cargo, or even pile out into an escape pod if it all goes terribly wrong.
There are two different ships, and a range of different missions – some quests involve a lot of trading missiles with space pirates, while others are more focussed on diplomacy or subterfuge.
Oh, and there’s a bar! You can order a range of space-themed cocktails, and even take them on board with you in a handy portable flask.
Is Bridge Command fun?
Yes… but you should know what you’re getting into!
Bridge Command is a committed and impressively-detailed Live Action RolePlay (LARP) experience. This means that you get out of it what you put in. Your actual experience will depend entirely on you and the people you’re playing with.
The gameplay itself is not inherently fun. For example, being in charge of weapons sounds exciting… but it’s less shoot-em-up action and more resource management on a screen.
Likewise the missions aren’t so tightly scripted that you’re guaranteed edge-of-your-seat excitement at every moment. This isn’t an on-rails theme park ride.
Instead the strength of Bridge Command is that almost anything can happen. You and your fellow crewmembers will have to make a series of high stakes choices, and then deal with whatever happens as a result.
As such, it’s kind of up to you to decide what kind of game you’re going to play.
If you really want to succeed in your mission, you could focus on doing everything right, sticking to procedure, and being conservative with your negotiating tactics. If you’re more interested in having fun and getting into fights you can equally go chasing after every pirate you see with guns blazing. When it comes to negotiating with alien royalty, you can play it safe and be polite, or take them prisoner and win the day by extortion instead of diplomacy.
It’s up to you and your crewmates.
We can’t stress enough that Bridge Command is what you make it. Unlike many other immersive experiences, you really do have a lot of choices, and each choice you make really does affect what happens next. So make use of those choices to enjoy the kind of game you want!
Bridge Command Rewards Repeated Visits
One thing it’s important to know about Bridge Command is that many of its coolest features only become apparent after repeated visits. This is a game that’s designed to be played many times, and some of its greatest strengths won’t come into play on your first visit.
First and foremost, the ship is not necessarily easy to fly. You can get to grips with any individual station relatively quickly, but it may take a little longer to understand how it ties in with other stations and the mission as a whole.
Even experienced players who have visited Bridge Command dozens of times still have things to learn about how the ship works!
On your first visit, a lot of your time might be spent getting to grips with controls and going through training. The game becomes a lot more fun when you don’t need to repeat this tutorial on a second visit.
You can also sign up for an online profile and thereby preserve your rank and achievements between visits. You may be promoted for a particularly bold move during a mission, or even win a patch to signify your competency in a given area. When you return for another game, your rank bars and patches will be waiting for you.
As well as all this, Bridge Command is set in an evolving narrative universe. Over the course of time, old storylines are retired and new storylines designed. Repeat visits will give you some familiarity with the world of the story, and you’ll be able to enjoy seeing it change over time.
Does Bridge Command have a story?
Yes! During a typical visit to Bridge Command you’ll play one mission, which will have its own setup, its own story and its own narrative resolution. This will all be explained to you in a military-style briefing before you play.
But in addition to this, each of these missions is set within a consistent and evolving narrative universe. There are occasional recurring characters, and recurring factions whose alliances may shift over time.
You don’t need to engage very deeply with the narrative of Bridge Command in order to enjoy it. Being very familiar with the Bridge Command universe is not a huge advantage, and everything you need to know will be explained to you before you play any given mission.
But, if you’re interested, there’s a rich and ever-evolving backstory to Bridge Command, which you can read on their website.
A brief history of Bridge Command
Bridge Command is a production by Parabolic Theatre – a company that has been producing truly innovative immersive works since 2016 under Creative Director Owen Kingston.
It first ran for a limited season in 2019 at the COLAB Factory in Bermondsey, London. This initial iteration was much smaller in scale: designed for up to six players and with games lasting approximately an hour at most. Crew could pilot the nimble fighter ship the CNS Talavaar through a selection of episodic missions.
This iteration of Bridge Command was produced on a tight budget… but it nonetheless impressed. Investors were keen enough to put some money into the project, allowing the production to pick up a more permanent venue in Vauxhall and build out the truly impressive set that is used today.
Things to know before playing Bridge Command
If you come in a group your group will play together, but more people or other groups might be added to it to make a full crew. You won’t usually be split up from the people you came with (unless you’re an absolutely massive group).
You can pick what kind of mission you’d like to play when booking. This is an actual, meaningful choice – so think carefully about what kind of game you’d like to have.
- DIPLOMACY missions feature a lot of roleplay, negotiation and decision-making
- MILITARY missions feature a lot teamwork, shooting and excitement
- EXPLORATION missions feature a lot of puzzles and deduction
- INTRIGUE missions are story-heavy, with a focus on secrets and subterfuge
You can bring coats and bags, and leave them in lockers at the start of the experience. You’ll be given a jumpsuit to wear. These are tiny, and you should select one at least two sizes larger than you normally would.
There’ll be a short period of hanging out in the bar before your game begins. Use this time to introduce yourself to any other people you might be playing with, and try out the tutorial terminals along one wall. You can get a feel for how different stations work using these, and thus decide which station you’d like to be.
What’s the current status of Bridge Command?
Bridge Command is currently open and running in its long-term venue at 63-64 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TJ. This is very close to Vauxhall Station.
Time slots can be booked through the website – tickets usually cost around £60.