GAME REVIEW | "Bread & Fred" Climb a Hilariously Hard Summit
Can the cutest-looking game around also be the most difficult one to experience? I think back to my time playing Puyo Puyo Tetris, a video game with adorable visuals but a wicked hard campaign. Despite its candy-sweet characters and silly story, this game — be it in single or multiplayer mode — could be very unforgivable. The same can be said for Apogee Entertainment and Sand Castle Studio’s Bread & Fred, whose cute looks hides an extreme journey to the top.
The premise of Bread & Fred is simple: climb a mountain and reach the top. Together, the two titular penguins must use their skills in order to plant their flag at the peak. Mastering the arts of jumping, climbing, and swinging are key to making it up the tough and intimidating mountain. On top of that, both Bread and Fred need to be in-synch with one another in order to do it.
Teamwork is what makes Bread & Fred the ultimate co-op challenge. Even in the beginning, if you can’t make the first few leaps together in under ten minutes, then the rest of the journey may not look so good for you. Fortunately, there are ways to learn to be in-synch, be it via verbal communication or the handy countdown button. Of course, it also depends on where your co-penguin is playing, as playing via Remote Play can make certain obstacles very shaky to conquer.
Clocking at 500 meters, the height of the mountain doesn’t sound so terrifying. Only when you see what sorts of hazards will greet you where one’s armpits with start sweating from stress. Long gaps that require major swings, platforms big enough for a single penguin, and walls that will have Bread and Fred holding to dear life to will be on the menu every step of the way. And my only advice: use the flag checkpoint system, or risk having an aneurysm if you tumble way, way, way down!
However, the fact that Bread & Fred is so difficult actually adds to the fun of it all. Watching as you and your friend attempt to reach big heights, only to witness them face plant from a 100+ meter tumble will fill you more with belly laughs and anger. It’s hard to explain, but the sight of these adorable polar birds trying their best to summit the peak, only to fail each and every step of the way is pretty darn funny! Yes, you’ll groan from a big tumble, but you’ll be laughing soon afterwards.
It also helps that there are many NPCs filled with funny quips and stories to tell you along the way. From silly tips on how to conquer the mountain to the sight of a penguin talking to some skeletal remains, these moments will help ease the toughness you’ll face when tackling this tough mountain. Along the way, you’ll also discover photographs that you can collect, which tell a bit of the back story behind why Bread and Fred are climbing this mountain.
Although using a keyboard to play Bread & Fred is doable, I cannot emphasize how much better it is to use a controller. Jumping, grabbing hold of walls, and even signaling to your friend when to make a move are done so much better with either an Xbox or PlayStation controller than a laptop keyboard. The only acrobatics you should have to experience while experiencing this game should be on-screen, and not via your fingertips. Visually, the game looks like it could’ve easily fit in with the Apogee titles from thirty years ago, with its pixelated world and characters are very appealing to the eye.
Playing in co-op isn’t the only way to experience Bread & Fred. If you have the gusto, you can play in single-player mode, where your partner is a rock. This experience is a lot more harder to do, as you don’t have a friend to laugh about each mistake you make. All that’s there is quiet anger, as you slowly slip into madness with every flub you and your rock execute. What I’m trying to say is, don’t play single player if you value your sanity!
PROS:
- Great co-op mechanics
- Very cute visuals
- Knows to never take itself seriously
CONS:
- Brutally hard
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Bread & Fred is how you make a solid co-op adventure, and is easily one of this year's best games. It’s tough-as-nails, but there’s plenty to laugh about whenever you make an error. At the very least, climbing a mountain in Bread & Fred is a lot safer and sillier than taking on an Everest or Fuji in real-life!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Jared Lugo of Stride PR. Reviewed on the PC via Steam.
