Biped - Switch Review

Biped is a cute little game about a cute little robot. The controls may be weird but the game looks promising and allows for a lot of fun to be shared alongside another. However, the real question is whether this actual walking simulator worth checking out?

Gameplay

The object of Biped is to restore the Earth’s beacons by traversing eight levels full of puzzles and obstacles. Sounds simple enough, right? Clear puzzles and make your way to the end of the stage. It would be simple, but the controls make it oddly complex. 

The only actions your character is capable of are completed with the joysticks: you move the robotic protagonist’s left and right leg with the corresponding joystick. So instead of merely pointing the left joystick in the direction you want to go, you have to coordinate both leg with proper pacing and direction in order to move effectively. This makes the first half hour awkward and frustrating at times, but eventually it becomes more natural. The game mercifully lets you glide by pointing both sticks in the same direction to pass over more open areas where there are no puzzles. This is definitely faster than walking but isn’t precise enough to be used on the puzzles. 

The puzzles and tasks in each level are varied and (for the most part) enjoyable. The cutesy graphics might lead you to believe there isn’t a challenge to be found here, but looks can be deceiving. Some of the puzzles are pretty hard but only one puzzle out of all eight levels felt overly frustrating and even this one didn’t keep me occupied for long. 

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There’s also ample opportunity to be mean to NPCs (and sometimes the AI makes them earn their punishment). Not much more to say on this, it’s just fun.

Level Design

The levels for Biped all have a different theme. The puzzles will be tailored to fit with the specific level’s theme and makes for a richer experience. Puzzles also build off of each other: elements of puzzles are introduced in earlier levels and then combined and manipulated in later levels. This makes the progression and learning curve feel really satisfying. The fact that there are only eight levels (one of which is a tutorial) is disappointing, but those eight are skillfully made and a lot of fun.

Story / Personality

The story itself is pretty forgettable and lacking, and while the dialogue between robots can be charming, most of the time it falls flat. The beacons you’re quested to find serve essentially as the flagpoles at the end of Super Mario Bros levels and the lackluster story serves as flimsy justification for the end point. Essentially there is no story and the dialogue doesn’t create much life either.

Graphics / Art Direction

Biped‘s graphics are cute and colorful. The themes of each level allow for more diversity between color schemes and background elements. There is a simple charm to Biped’s graphics: everything looks soft and round, with the graphics reminding me of Animal Crossing. The way the fixed camera moves and zooms can make it hard to see well enough to complete puzzles effectively but these moments are rare. Biped looks like a kid’s game, but most younger players would find it really difficult.

Music / Sound Design

The music in Biped is just as soft and whimsical as the graphics: the instrumental score flows well with the action but doesn’t hog the spotlight or lessen the experience in any way.

Final Score: 65%

Biped can be fun. The controls are tricky to wrap your head around at first but this becomes more intuitive as you play. Unfortunately, the game is so short that by the time you get comfortable with the control scheme, the credits roll. There are some collectibles but since they really don’t add anything to the experience except for a higher completion percentage, I can’t imagine playing this game to look for secrets I missed. The game has limited long term appeal but was a decent two hour experience.

Thank you for checking out our Biped Switch review, thank you to Home Run PR for providing the review code and thank you to our $5 and up Patreon Backers for their ongoing support:

• Andrew Caluzzi (Inca Studios / Camped Out!)
• Belinda Cubitt