Bodycam

A treadmill and Bodycam sound like a bad combination to me, because this is a close quarters multiplayer shooter where your aim and attention matter at the same time. I’d save it for a bike ride where you can keep your upper body steady, and even then I’d expect to stop pedaling when a match gets tense.

Gameplay

The body camera view gives Bodycam a specific feel that I think could be compelling, but it also sounds like the kind of perspective that asks you to pay close attention to what’s happening around you. In a game where every angle and callout matters, I’m not expecting to casually glance at the screen, notice someone, and sort it out while my stride is bouncing the controller. That sounds like trying to thread a needle while somebody keeps moving the table.

Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Wingman give you a few different ways to play without asking you to sit through a long story or a lot of reading. That’s a real plus for exercise, because you can get into the action without spending your warmup looking through pages of dialogue. I’d probably start with Deathmatch, since I can focus on learning how the camera view feels without also trying to coordinate every choice with a team.

Teamwork is part of the appeal, though, and I can see why people would enjoy the tension of trying to communicate when a close fight can turn quickly. The same thing would make me a little nervous about treating this as background entertainment. If someone is waiting on your callout, or you’re trying to track a tight angle, you’re not really watching a show while you pedal. You’re playing the game.

I don’t know how easy it is to read a fight in the body camera view, and I’d want to find that out before putting the treadmill into the picture. The presentation sounds like it makes the shooting feel more immediate, which is interesting, but if that also makes it harder to spot what’s going on, I’d rather learn that while sitting down. My first instinct is to play it as an actual game and not pretend I’m good at splitting my attention.

The early access label also gives me pause, though it doesn’t automatically make me think you should avoid it. I’d want to be comfortable with the game as it is now, rather than buying it because I’m waiting for some future version to solve whatever isn’t working for me. There’s already a clear idea here, and I like that it isn’t trying to wedge in a long campaign just to give you something to do between matches.

Category Score: 2 out of 3

Treadmill and Bike Compatibility

The hard part is keeping your aim steady when your body is moving, especially when Bodycam is built around close quarters fights where a little adjustment can matter. Full controller support is helpful, and I’d still rather try it on a bike than on a treadmill, because I can keep my hands and shoulders more stable while pedaling. I’d expect to pause the workout when I need to focus. The game won’t wait for me.

I wouldn’t start on a treadmill just because the controller works. Full controller support means you can play with one, not that the game becomes forgiving when your inputs are imprecise, and shooting while your hands bounce along with your stride sounds like a reliable way to have a bad time. I’d play sitting down first, then try a stationary bike at an easy pace if I wanted to see whether the movement felt manageable.

Wingman sounds like the mode I’d be most careful about using during a workout, because I’d feel more responsible for the other person than I would in a mode where everyone is just looking after themselves. That can be fun when you’re focused, but it’s not a great match for trying to keep a comfortable pace and avoid gripping the controller like it owes me money. I’d save Team Deathmatch and Wingman for when I could give them my full attention.

Deathmatch seems like the most reasonable place to experiment, since I wouldn’t have to make the workout depend on coordinating with a teammate. Even there, I’d keep the bike resistance light and stop pedaling if the match became a frantic scramble. I don’t know how much the body camera view would throw off my aim while exercising, but I know I wouldn’t want to discover that halfway through a close fight.

Category Score: 1 out of 3

Computer Requirements

You’ll need a fairly strong gaming computer, not an older office machine with a graphics card that’s mostly there to display email. I’d check the graphics card first, since the minimum calls for an RTX 2070 or Radeon RX 5700, and the game also recommends an SSD. The computer has to keep up with the camera and the action.

Category Score: 1 out of 3

Conclusion and Score

Bodycam sounds like a game I’d play when I can focus on it, not one I’d count on to carry a workout. I’d suggest it to someone who wants close quarters multiplayer shooting and has a strong enough PC, but I’d keep the treadmill out of it and try an easy bike ride only after getting comfortable with the controls.

Overall Score: 1.33 out of 3