Key We

Summary

Key We is an adorable game that requires you to control Jeff and Debora, two fluffy kiwi birds. What's your mission? Running the Bungalow Basin Post Office of course! The Key We game is currently rated E for everyone and we totally agree! This game has simple mechanics and is so fun to play with a friend and can be enjoyed by all ages. In Key We, you will have to pack and deliver cargo in a chaotic but ever-so-fun environment. Do you think this sounds easy? Think again! There are multiple obstacles that happen during each level making it an exciting challenge for all ages. Key We is available on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch and only requires an initial payment to enjoy the game. Key We can be enjoyed solo or in coop mode with a friend online. Each level will take around around 10 minutes although there are special rewards if you finish within certain time limits. The game in total can take anywhere between 8-35+ hours to complete, however, this certainly does not need to be done in one sitting.

Gameplay

Key We is a chaotic postal puzzler as you try to control your kiwi birds working in a fun and frantic mailroom. The different levels require you to post letters and organize deliveries. The only problem is kiwis don’t have hands! To get through the levels you will have to control the two kiwis to complete the various task by jumping, screeching, and pecking your way through the various tasks, and don’t forget the butt slamming, how else are you supposed to hit the buttons! The game requires you to have a basic understanding of the English language as you will need to work together as a team to utilize the two different Kiwis to solve puzzles, complete tasks and deliver messages quickly. Key We also offers some amazing visuals. The game is bright and colorful with a charming art style which is completely family friendly and enjoyable. The game includes more than just kiwis, there is plenty of wildlife to see and interact with throughout the game in a fun-loving way. There are also secret hidden objectives that you have to try to figure out along the way keeping you busy for a while!

While this game can be played as a solo player, we found this to be quite difficult as you still have to play both kiwis in the game by yourself. This means that you have to switch from Jeff to Debora to complete the challenges and this became overwhelming very quickly. Because of this, Key We shines as a cooperative game to be played with friends and family. Working in sync to complete the tasks and overcoming the obstacles together makes it the perfect game for family game nights or parties.

The gameplay itself is quite simple, especially in the beginning rounds, however, as the game continues the difficulty does ramp up! The added bonus is that the quicker you complete the levels the more stars you earn. And trust me when I tell you, they do not make it easy to get the maximum amount of stars! The mechanics of Key We are great because you can easily play the game for fun, or, for more competitive players, you can really push yourself to strive for those stars. Key We truly offers a warm and fuzzy game feeling. Whether you are new to gaming or an experienced player, there is something in this game for everyone.

Education

Key We is not just a game for entertainment, it also has a number of educational benefits embedded into the game. All levels require basic problem-solving thinking to be able to successfully complete the level. But, the major benefit of this game is the opportunity to practice and improve English language skills. One game mode specifically requires the Kiwis to put together pieces of broken paper to form a sentence. The paper may only have half of the word you are looking for so you need to run around and try to match the correct papers together to form the sentence. Another game mode requires you to identify the individual letters to hit them to match a word on a screen. The letters can change often also so you get to quickly develop your recognition of different letters.

Other game modes can require you to locate a specified person or location and pick out certain details to tell you what you need to complete the delivery. This allows you to practice and develop comprehensive reading skills to understand what you are reading and the problem-solving required to complete the level.

The game also allows players to practice good time management and organization skills. The game is fast-paced and players will have to beat the clock and try to complete the tasks as quickly as possible. The quicker you finish the task the more stars you get! Throughout the game players need to consider the tasks very carefully to ensure that they are using their time effectively which is an essential skill for anyone to practice and develop. If your kid isn't too keen on the time limits, you can turn the time limits off in the menu settings.

Violence/ Adult Themes

Key We contains absolutely no distressing or violent content. It is completely child-friendly and can be enjoyed by all ages. There are some levels where the screen will be blacked out at times as you are in a bad storm or cartoon ghosts drop down, however, it is meant to scare anyone, it is just an extra obstacle to overcome.

Monetization

Key We requires a one-off purchase of around $30 for full access to the game. After this, if you manage to get through the game there are currently DLC's which cost under $10 (downloadable content) to play additional levels. There is also an early access pack that provides you with some additional cosmetics for your furry little friends! None of these additional things to buy are necessary to enjoy the game fully though.

The game does contain an in-game currency of 'postal stamps'. You can collect these through general gameplay and are easy enough to get over the course of the game. The additional benefit is that you cannot purchase these stamps with real-life money so you have to be hard at work to collect them! Postal stamps can be spent at the store in the game to give you lots of different customizations and accessories for your kiwis. There are no additional benefits from purchasing the customizations but gosh are they cute! Some cosmetics can only be earned through completing missions as well so get to playing!

Safety

Key We is very safe when it comes to its gameplay. Key We can be played solo where you control both kiwis on your own, although as we have mentioned, the gameplay can be very difficult in this mode. Alternatively, you can play Key We on couch coop with someone sitting next to you in real life OR play with a friend online. Now when it comes to playing online, the ONLY way to play with a friend is sending them a unique online friend code to join them. The game does not randomly match you up with anyone, they must send you a unique friend code. This filters out the risk of playing with random people online that you don’t know.

The other added benefit is that there is no text chat or voice chat features in the game. This means that your child cannot be exposed to any inappropriate behavior during gameplay with others. Although, of course, people can still use third-party software to enable voice chat so just keep an eye out for these.

Tips and Tricks

It is important to be aware that Key We does not support cross-platform play. This means that if one person owns the game on PlayStation and the other on PC, this means that they CANNOT play together even online. Both people will need to own the game on the same platform to be able to join a game together.