Move the left stick, now the right stick, now the left stick — no seriously, just repeat that and you’re going in a straight line. Wanna go left? Tilt and repeat.
For a platformer, be prepared for the controls to work against you. Every move you make matters and must be calculated, as a wrong step will place you back a few paces to try over again. A lesson in patience and persistence,Move the left stick, now the right stick, now the left stick — no seriously, just repeat that and you’re going in a straight line. Wanna go left? Tilt and repeat.
For a platformer, be prepared for the controls to work against you. Every move you make matters and must be calculated, as a wrong step will place you back a few paces to try over again. A lesson in patience and persistence, Biped is a charming adventure that makes good use of the dual joysticks in a way that not many games do.
Your adventure begins with a hefty task — you must go and reactivate several beacons down on the surface of Earth. By yourself, or with a partner, you will be taking on challenging puzzles and daunting platforming sequences in order to complete your objectives. The game can clock in at two or three hours of play time to complete the main story, so don’t feel like you’re in for a slog, but do prepare for a bit of frustration and a heck of a lot of teamwork if you plan to double up with a buddy.
Biped’s single-player campaign is a bit more relaxed. Less puzzles and more platforming will await you in a much duller sequence, but one that can really help a player find their groove for the full cooperative game if they need the practice. As mentioned before, the controls actively do seem to work against you, and this kind of hurdle is one that those who play with younger children may find hard to clear. You move the left leg of your robot with the left joystick, and the right leg with the other joystick. This will require a bit of a rhythm to work out well, or you’ll be stumbling all over the place.
You’re also able to use your robot’s feet to activate switches, open boxes, and pull levers among other things. Mastering this ability isn’t the hardest part, though. Co-op play will require a lot of thought and communication with your partner player, and this is the core of the fun in the experience. Activating switches in one section while having your friend pull a lever a little farther away, or needing to have a friend stand on a platform in one section while you hold on to something in another is a standard of play here. Being able to use each of your robots to their absolute advantage is a key in progressing, and as challenging as that can be, is also rewarding.
Each level has a layout where the main objective is to get to the end after activating any beacons along the way. Between the start and the end, however, are an array of challenges that must be solved to move forward. The game has a wonderful physics engine that makes gameplay fun — and the level design is full of colors and cheery tunes to keep you visually and auditorily amused. Throughout the game, you’ll also earn an in-game currency that can be used in the game’s shop to acquire hats and accessories for your robot. This quickly became one of my favorite aspects of the adventure. I decked out my beeping little buddy in new glasses right after the tutorial and couldn’t stop checking in to buy new things as soon as I had enough to do so.
Sadly, the adventure comes to an end all too soon. The main gripe I have with this title is the strikingly small amount of content. The graphics are beautiful, even in handheld mode. The physics work great. Sound is fantastic… There’s just not enough levels. This is a good gripe to have, as the package you get is exceptionally full of quality, but I would love for there to be a content patch for the game in the future.
Pros:
-Really great physics engine
-Unlockable accessories to customize your robot
-Puzzles are fun, challenging, and engaging.
Cons:
-Incredibly challenging controls that can turn away novice gamers
-Not enough levels
Overall: 7/10… Expand
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