It Takes Two
A unique co-op experience.
It takes a bold man to risk thousands of dollars on the promise that no-one will find their game boring. But Josef Fares is just that brazen. After watching the credits roll on his latest co-op adventure, it’s clear that his confidence was well placed (and plentiful), as It Takes Two is anything but dull. The latest title from Fares’ studio, Hazelight, It Takes Two explores themes of relationships, divorce, and parenthood, with you and a friend taking control of a husband and wife duo at the end of their tether – sometimes quite literally.
May and Cody, buckling under the pressures of balancing work and family life, have decided to get a divorce. However, the moment they tell their young daughter Rose, she enlists the aid of a self-help book to get her family back together, and manages to trap her parents inside two small dolls. Cody becomes a chubby clay man with a leaf for hair, while May is a little wooden figure with knitted clothing, and neither of them can be reunited with their daughter until they learn to work together.
Like Fares’ previous titles – A Way Out and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons – It Takes Two relies solely on co-operative gameplay, with the game being impossible to play unless you team up with someone either locally or online. Handily, there’s a Friend’s Pass feature that allows you to invite a friend to join you for free, meaning it’s very easy to enjoy the co-op action without having to rely on your pals’ purchasing decisions. For this review though, I played the game with my partner on the sofa, with both of us thoroughly enjoying every moment of It Takes Two’s circa 15-hour runtime.
Working out how the game keeps innovating by using the various elements in isolation and as a partnership is incredibly rewarding – and a seriously impressive feat of game design.
It Takes Two is a Pixar-worthy adventure that consistently innovates, offering players an excellent co-op experience unlike any other.
Sam Loveridge