Biped Review Summary

Fun and engaging with friends with cute robot characters, but awkward controls and short length with broken multiplayer make it a buy on sale.

Overall fun and engaging: The game receives praise for being entertaining, enjoyable, and well-made, with engaging gameplay and a cheerful atmosphere. Many reviewers simply state that it is a good or very fun game.

Great with friends and family: Players find the game enjoyable when playing with friends, family, or partners, often leading to laughter and fun moments. It is suitable for casual sessions with close companions.

Cute and adorable style: The game's cuteness is a standout feature, with adorable characters and charming graphics that appeal to players. The visual style contributes to the overall enjoyment.

Laughter and funny moments: The game is noted for providing lots of laughs and humorous moments, especially when played with others. It guarantees entertainment and joy through its silly gameplay.

Appropriate difficulty levels: Levels are not too difficult, making them accessible, but they still offer a fun challenge, especially in later stages. The balance between ease and challenge is appreciated.

Controls are awkward and unintuitive: Players frequently report that the controls feel awkward, uncomfortable, and counterintuitive, especially on keyboard and mouse. Some find them wonky at first, while others describe them as frustrating or even unplayable.

Game length is short: Many players note that the game is very short, typically completed in one to two hours. This brevity is often mentioned alongside concerns about value for money and limited content.

Online multiplayer is broken: A significant number of players report that online multiplayer fails to connect or work, including issues with room codes and connection errors. Many spent considerable time troubleshooting without success.

Controller support has issues: Multiple controller-related problems are reported, including controllers disconnecting, two controllers controlling the same character, and mouse cursor snapping to center when a controller is used. Some issues persist even with Steam Input disabled.

Keyboard and mouse controls are poor: There is a recurring theme of keyboard and mouse controls being particularly poor, with mouse control being tiring or causing finger pain. Players report the game is not friendly to keyboard and mouse users and recommend a controller.

Co-op and solo modes: The game offers both cooperative and single-player modes, with co-op featuring extra levels and different maps. This flexibility is a core feature highlighted by many players.

Unique leg control scheme: Players control each leg of a robot using separate analog sticks or joysticks, creating a distinctive and challenging control mechanic. This is a defining feature of the game.

Co-op requires coordination: Cooperative play demands high coordination, teamwork, and communication between players to progress. This is a central gameplay element that shapes the experience.

Puzzle-based cooperative gameplay: The game features puzzle mechanics that require cooperation and teamwork to solve, blending puzzle-solving with cooperative play. This is a key aspect of the gameplay loop.

Pro levels offer high difficulty: The game includes Pro levels that are extremely challenging, providing an additional difficulty tier for experienced players. These levels are separate from the main campaign.

Runs well on various hardware: The game performs well on Steam Deck, low-spec computers, potato laptops with old integrated AMD graphics, and via Steam Link, indicating low system requirements and good optimization on diverse setups.

Network and server issues: Several players encountered network problems, server issues preventing lobby creation, connection problems, and high ping in multiplayer, pointing to unreliable online infrastructure.

Frequent crashes and instability: Multiple reports of crashes, including on Steam OS, consistent crashes at a specific point, and occasional hangs, suggest stability issues that disrupt gameplay and frustrate players.

Minor technical issues: Other technical issues include subtitle bugs, screen tearing, and controller compatibility issues with PC, which are less frequent but noticeable.

Mouse movement causes lag: Mouse movement leads to significant lag and stuttering, even in the main menu, making the game feel like a slideshow. This is a specific and high-frequency issue reported by multiple players.

Buy on sale: A significant number of reviewers advise purchasing the game at a discount rather than full price, suggesting it is better value when on sale. This is a common sentiment across multiple clusters.

Good with friends: The game is recommended for playing with friends, partners, or family, with several reviewers noting it's perfect for social play. Some suggest it's not ideal solo.

Highly recommended for co-op: Many reviewers recommend the game for co-op play with friends or partners, emphasizing it as a fun couch co-op experience. It is especially praised for two-player sessions.

Worth buying: A few reviewers strongly endorse the game as worth the price, with phrases like 'definitely recommend buying' and 'well worth it'. This indicates a positive overall value perception.

Use controller: Reviewers advise using a gamepad or controller instead of keyboard and mouse, as it enhances the experience and may be necessary for easier control. A good joystick is recommended.

Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00.

Game completion: 8.8h.

Story completion: 4.0h.

Session length: 3.0h.

Players often find Biped enjoyable initially but the main stages become repetitive and frustrating, leading to a drop in fun. Control issues and difficulty spikes create early friction, though playing with friends can mitigate the decline.

Friction: laggy buttons and slow controls; tedious movement system (separate leg controls); sudden difficulty spikes; not beginner friendly learning curve; frustration from repetitive stages.

Co-op Duo Enthusiast: Plays with a partner, focuses on communication and coordination, tolerates awkward controls for the sake of fun. Motivation: Enjoying cooperative gameplay and strengthening friendships. Stance: buy.

Completionist Achievement Hunter: Methodical, repeats levels, collects all coins, attempts time trials and pro levels, works with a partner for co-op achievements. Motivation: Achieving 100% completion and proving mastery. Stance: buy.

Casual Family Player: Plays with children or non-gamers, takes it slow, enjoys cute aesthetics and simple controls. Motivation: Light-hearted bonding and easy fun with family or friends. Stance: sale.

Steam Deck: Biped is praised for its lightweight resource usage and controller-friendly design, making it a good fit for Steam Deck in principle. However, user feedback reveals significant stability issues (crashes on Steam OS) and severe performance drops in later levels, along with broken online multiplayer connectivity. These problems require tinkering or workarounds, preventing a seamless experience.

Linux and Proton: User feedback contains only one Linux/Proton-specific report: a SteamOS user experienced two consecutive crashes. No other Linux/Proton complaints or positive reports exist. The game may require minor tweaks to avoid launch failures, but the evidence is too sparse to conclude widespread incompatibility.

Short playthrough, few hours: The game can be completed in a short time, typically around 2-4 hours, and sometimes even in one sitting. This is a common observation across several clusters, emphasizing the brevity of the experience.

Game is cheap and often discounted: The game is frequently sold at a low price or heavily discounted during sales, making it an affordable purchase. This is mentioned in multiple clusters, indicating it's a key selling point.

Co-op requires purchase or friend pass: Playing co-op requires both players to own the game, but a friend pass option exists for the second player. Online co-op may have regional or version requirements, and connectivity issues can be fixed by adjusting settings.

Sequel anticipated and expected: Reviewers express anticipation for an upcoming sequel, with some noting its scheduled release. There is also criticism that the developer is focusing on a sequel rather than updating the current game.

Compared to It Takes Two: The game is often compared to It Takes Two, being described as cheaper, easier, and lighter in story and level design, but still offering co-op fun. It's also seen as a low-budget alternative that holds up in some aspects.