If you’re looking for a cute game allowing for a two-player couch coop experience, look no further than It Takes Two. Developed by Hazelight Studios and published by EA, players are taken on a crazy adventure, saving neglected tools, fighting wasps, and learning that love takes work. It Takes Two is easily approachable with fun yet simplistic mechanics and dialogue that will be instantly endearing for its humor. Add in a Friend’s Pass, and It Takes Two is honestly the best coop game I’ve played in a long time, and here’s why you need to play it.
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In It Takes Two, players each control two characters: Cody and May. The pair are a married couple who are planning to divorce. After telling their only child, Rose, about their plans for separation, she takes her hand-made dolls, which suspiciously look like her parents, to their shed and wishes that her parents could repair their relationship. After a few classic teardrops, Cody and May awaken trapped in Rose’s dolls. Thankfully, they have Dr. Hakim, an anthropomorphic therapy book that tries to teach them how to fix their relationship, to guide them as they try to find Rose.
While Cody and May spend most of the game as cute dolls in an oversized world with a whimsical appeal to it, this game isn’t just for kids. Sure, the world has a child-like fantasy to it, with talking tools and insects, tinkering squirrels who MacGyver together weapons and vehicles, and antagonists like a broken vacuum cleaner. But the humor gives older gamers plenty to sink their teeth into. There’s plenty of fun dialogue, with some jokes that will definitely fly over kids’ heads, but the game itself is overall pretty ridiculous, creating some exceptional situational humor. But watching May and Cody grow and realize why they fell in love in the first place will give anyone plenty to ruminate on.
Cody and May bicker and fight, but they also work well together. They’ve obviously been in a relationship for a while, but they’re at their wits’ end. The voice acting is exceptional and brings their relationship to life effortlessly. This entire game is about cooperating and working together. It’s a great metaphor for relationships in general; even though this game is about repairing a marriage, this comparison can really be applied to any relationship in our lives. As the game progresses, Cody and May change from two people at each other’s throats to a couple who appreciates each other’s talents. And it’s such an organic, subtle change that it’ll sneak up on you. These changes and Dr. Hakim’s constant blather about relationships surprisingly offer some good feels and self-reflection.
The mechanics are easily approachable with simplistic action and a high amount of aim assistance for even the least savvy video gamers. It Takes Two offers a motley of action, dipping its foot into many game styles. The game requires shooting, platforming, flying, driving, puzzle-solving, rail-grinding, swinging, and much much more. Just when you think you understand what’s expected of you, the game changes everything up again. Interspersed with optional mini-games, every few minutes is a new experience. But one thing remains the same: cooperation is the name of the game.
Given cooperation is paramount to this entire game, it’s understandable that It Takes Two doesn’t have a single-player option. You have to play with two people. And while the split-screen couch coop is an excellent experience, sometimes the people you want to play with aren’t so near. Thankfully, It Takes Two comes with a Friend’s Pass, requiring only one person to own the game for two people to play online. While this isn’t the first game to have this feature, it’s nevertheless a great addition, and I’d like to see more games take advantage of it.
It Takes Two doesn’t ask much of players concerning game mechanics, so it’s easy to pick up. But it does change up the action and puzzles often, creating an experience that never becomes boring. With great humor and a Friend’s Pass, It Takes Two is an excellent coop experience that everyone should experience.
It Takes Two is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
