Biped 2 (PS5) Review: Challenging Co-Op Fun

Biped 2 review — (Photo Credit: Meta Publishing)

I’m always intrigued by any game that is built around co-op play. Next Studios put out Biped back in 2020, and it was an underrated gem of an indie game featuring two cute robots venturing their way through tricky obstacles and forcing players to test their puzzle-solving ability and patience. Now five years later, we have the more polished Biped 2, which adds in support for solo and four-player play, as well as plenty more variety to the action.

The core gameplay has stayed unchanged. Each analog stick on the controller corresponds to a different leg of the cute robots (you can even be one with cat ears now). Making measured movements is often key to survival, but going too slowly can often lead to death, so it’s a tricky balancing act. Throw in the need to communicate with another player (or three), and the game gets even more complex despite being relatively simple and easy to learn.

It’s clear that the development team has come up with plenty of ideas since the original, as Biped 2 is a bigger experience. A lot of old challenges return, and learning how to use your slide is still key, but there’s also a new grappling hook and hang gliders that add plenty of variety. There are also more ways to interact together, as you’ll pair up with other players to get through levels, with one player acting as the legs and the other as the arms. However, with this mechanical depth comes a lot of frustration as the game can be quite punishing.

It should be noted that Biped 2 gets quite tricky early on. If your co-op partner is more limited in their gaming experience, you might hit a wall early on that will take time to overcome — or just make them want to play another game entirely. Unlike the recently released Lego Voyagers, this is not the most beginner-friendly co-op game, so just know that there is a healthy challenge and that you’re getting into a game that will test the patience of all players. It’s rewarding to get through, but it might not be for every relationship, and unless you’ve recently played through the original, the difficulty spikes early on might prove to be too much.

There’s also a solo mode, which is a neat addition. However, it also takes out some of the more interesting mechanics, which just can’t be done with one player, and losing that communication aspect makes the game lose some of its charm. It’s still a fun alternate mode, and I view it as a great way to get acclimated with the game and its controls before tackling the harder stages with a friend. However, if you’re thinking of getting it solely for the solo play, you’ll be missing out on what makes Biped 2 so special.

Biped 2 (PS5) Review: Final Verdict

Biped 2 can be fun to play with friends, but you really have to be committed to get through the more difficult levels. Featuring solo and four-player modes, there are more ways to enjoy the action than ever before, with each feeling like a unique experience. If you’ve already gotten through Split Fiction and other great co-op games, then this is a great way to continue the challenge, but it wouldn’t be my first recommendation.