Whenever a game tries to capture the magic of cooperative play like It Takes Two once did, expectations automatically rise. WheelMates, the new cooperative title from Firevolt studio, is currently available only in demo form, but after just the first hour, it becomes clear that we are not looking at yet another generic indie attempt. Instead, we have a charming adventure that combines nostalgia for RC cars with modern co-op design.
The premise is simple but interesting enough to keep you engaged. Two players take control of small RC cars exploring the house of an eccentric professor who has, of course, mysteriously disappeared. What is an ordinary kitchen table or garage shelf to us humans becomes a vast terrain filled with obstacles, hidden passages, and puzzles.
And it is in that sense of miniature exploration that WheelMates truly shines. Driving over kitchen elements, jumping over scattered tools, or searching for hidden passages irresistibly reminds us of the days when we drove toys around the apartment and imagined our own adventures. The game openly draws inspiration from titles like Re-Volt and It Takes Two, but is confident enough to build its own identity.
The gameplay itself is based on cooperation. Most obstacles require communication, synchronized actions, or the use of special gadgets like magnets, ropes, and other upgrades that the cars gradually unlock. In practice, this means a lot of tossing commands to your partner like: "Stand there!", "Pull now!", or "No, not there, you fell again!". If you have a friend with whom you love to play cooperative games, WheelMates can easily become a source of fun, but also friendly bickering.
However, the demo version also shows a few shortcomings. The controls sometimes feel a bit imprecise, especially during more challenging jumps or maneuvering on narrow surfaces. The driving physics can be unpredictable, and the camera occasionally struggles in tight spaces. The puzzles themselves are not overly challenging at this stage, so they might seem too simple for more experienced co-op veterans.
From a technical standpoint, the game leaves a very positive impression. The visual style is colorful, clear, and extremely charming, and the performance in the demo version is mostly stable. It is particularly pleasing that WheelMates supports local split-screen and online play, making this type of title even more appealing.
After playing the demo version, the impression remains that Firevolt has a very good foundation for a full-fledged co-op adventure. WheelMates may not yet have reached the level of the best representatives of the genre, but it possesses the most important elements – charm, a fun idea, and the feeling that playing together is truly at the core of the experience. If you are looking for a new game to play with a friend or family member, this demo version is definitely worth trying. It already feels like one of those games that is not played for victory, but for the shared moments and laughter that arise along the way.
