Biped is a physics-based 3D co-op action-adventure game. The gameplay is firmly based on fleeting cooperation between two-players. Two little biped robots, Aku and Sila, march side by side, tightening their bond over the course of a fun adventure on planet Earth as they strive to complete their mission.
Biped is based on a very simple concept: you control a little robot by moving one step at a time... literally. One joystick controls the left leg, the other the right.
It goes without saying that there's a bit of a learning curve, but there's loads of fun along the way. Get ready to be pulling your hair out as you try to get your character to move, fight, and perfectly time jumps. You can either slide along or walk one foot in front of the other with your reassuringly magnetic feet. These let you stick onto the walls, climb obstacles, and grab objects with your legs.
We liked making our way through a colourful, diverse ecosystem. The plot is just a pretext for you to get busy solving puzzles whose mechanics evolve over the course of the game. Sometimes, you'll need to count your steps to move along a platform. Others, it's all about the colours: one robot is blue and the other pink, and some platforms change colour with each step.
If it turns pink, then the pink robot can take a step, and vice versa. But that's not all, because some screens throw you down the rapids in a boat or into the heart of a forest where you'll work as a lumberjack.
As you might have guessed, you need to cooperate to get ahead: you lose points whenever the two robots bump into each other.
Our favourite part? The game's major replayability. Once you've completed a dozen or so colourful, soothing screens, Biped gives you the option of putting your agility to the test in an extremely demanding Pro Mode. And if you prefer to play in single-player, there's loads more content to discover with eight extra levels specially designed for playing alone. Not bad!
We loved the two little characters, one a ball with pink eyes, the other a cube with blue ones. They'll have you laughing and crying in equal measure right from the tutorial. The movement is well-designed while allowing you to just have fun.
Our tip to help you on your way? Don't let your robots stray more than 16m from each other: if you do, you get teleported right back to the start of the level. Keep an eye on the bar at the bottom of the screen to stay in sync and cooperate for smooth progress through the game.
The gameplay is effective and entertaining, and perfect for a good time with a friend. You do need to be able to read what happens on the screen and solve puzzles that require a bit of logical thinking, so this game is suitable for kids aged 9-10+. A game to bring generations together.
