The Legacy of Awkward Controls
In the world of gaming, some titles are remembered for their deliberately difficult control schemes, and Biped 2 proudly carries this controversial torch. Following in the footsteps of classics like QWOP, this new indie platformer from developer PlayJoy Studios embraces intentionally awkward controls as its core mechanic, creating an experience that's equal parts charming and infuriating.
The game features small, cubic robots that bear a striking resemblance to Astro Bot characters, but their movement is anything but straightforward. Each robot's legs are mapped to separate analogue sticks, meaning walking requires carefully coordinating each limb independently. While not quite as chaotic as QWOP's muscle-control system, it remains significantly more challenging than most conventional platformers.
Gameplay That Tests Your Sanity
Biped 2 maintains the exact same control system from its predecessor, released five years ago. Players can push both sticks in the same direction to make their robot glide forward with surprising elegance, but this burst of speed is largely useless near the game's numerous precise platforming sections. Even after extensive practice, mastery feels elusive as your bot maintains a drunken, unpredictable gait throughout.
The game's challenge begins immediately after the training level, throwing players into scenarios that would be difficult with standard controls, let alone Biped's deliberately cumbersome system. Early tasks include transporting unstable energy cores that explode if you take too long, avoiding swinging wrecking balls, and navigating platforms that crumble seconds after you step on them.
By the second level, players must negotiate a raft made of collapsing platforms while wrecking balls swing from both sides across a canyon. The fixed camera isometric view makes judging distances particularly challenging, setting the tone for increasingly difficult obstacles ahead.
Co-op That Could Break Relationships
At its heart, Biped 2 is designed as a co-op experience, though it can be played solo by controlling both characters in sections requiring two bots. The game truly shines – or infuriates – when played with a partner, with many puzzles requiring coordinated movement and separate but interlinked tasks.
However, the random frustrations induced by the unfair controls, combined with relentlessly exacting challenges, can severely test even the strongest friendships. Success often depends on both players navigating obstacles perfectly, and when one fails after the other succeeds, recriminations inevitably follow. As the review notes, you might find yourself choking down frustrations "into a hard little knot in the pit of your stomach."
The game introduces increasingly complex challenges as you progress, including puzzles demanding exact foot placement, monorail sections requiring track switching while posting cubes into bins, precarious mazes of collapsing platforms, and an ice world where you swing between degrading frozen sheets.
Is the Frustration Worth It?
On the positive side, Biped 2 features charming, Astro Bot-style characters in colourful worlds, and at £15.49, it's relatively affordable. The game's length is approximately five hours if you can persevere without rage quitting, and it includes merciful breaks like straightforward hang-glider sections where you drift through coin collections without control struggles.
The game also employs generous checkpointing, with no limit to lives lost through mistakes, allowing players to repeat sections repeatedly until they stumble through by what feels like divine intervention rather than skill.
However, the review draws unfavourable comparisons to games like Silksong, where brutal difficulty was balanced by precise controls and joyful exploration. Here, players face platforming challenges that would be difficult with standard controls, compounded by a capricious control scheme that makes success feel random.
Biped 2 releases on 5th November 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with an age rating of 3. While the game has its merits for masochistic gamers seeking the ultimate challenge, the review ultimately advises against playing it, "especially with anyone you love or plan to spend time with in the long term."
The game scores 4/10 in the review, praised for its visual appeal and well-integrated co-op design but heavily criticised for its irritating controls and random unfairness that transforms potential fun into frustration.
