Every now and then we come across a game that just blows us away, which is kind of a rare sight these days. But It Takes Two is the perfect example of one such game: as we will discuss in this article, we believe It to be one of the most fun, original, and interesting games recently, if not of all time. This game is a huge passion project and the love and care of the developers can be felt at every corner. So, clik here and keep scrolling to find out what we liked about it so much!
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To introduce you to the story of the game without spoiling it, all you need to know is that Rose’s parents, May and Cody, have agreed on a divorce. When they break the news to their daughter, she runs away with the two little figurines of her parents she made. There, in the barn, she cries and wishes for her parents to find their lost love again. By magic, her parents wake up as the little figurines Rose put together and together they have to make their way from the barn to the house through many obstacles, to not only find their way home but also to find their way back together.
If you played A Way Out, you will be right at home with It Takes Two. Hazelight made great use of everything they learned in the earlier game and really let their fantasies burst. Not only does It Takes Two shift perspectives in an even more interesting and fun way than in A Way Out, but the characters also constantly gain new abilities. These abilities require fun, joint work so that the pair can progress through the game. Not only that, there are also numerous minigames to play and areas to discover.
The amount of creativity and originality is unprecedented. The characters can drastically change their forms to better interact with their surroundings and to solve incredible puzzles, which will leave you breathless regarding their ingenuity. The break-neck speed of actions will barely give you time to catch your breath before it sends you down a crazy rabbit hole of puzzles, action, and story-pieces. The game is the perfect example of what developers can do with a great vision and freedom!
The way the camera shifts, moves, and follows the action is a piece of art by itself. It manages to keep you well in the action while also giving you a stunning shot of everything happening. Just like in A Way Out, the way the screen splits changes with various puzzles and environments, so you are always perfectly capable of landing the perfect shot or working together seamlessly. The game can be played both online and in coop but at all times both players see the exact same screen. Seeing the other person’s point of view is a huge help while also keeping you more entangled with the action. Hazelight studios know that this concept of coop was a strong aspect of their previous game and they realize how powerful it is. Oh, and have we mentioned that only of you needs to own the game? The other can simply accept the invitation from the one owning it and you can play to your heart’s content, no need for two purchases. This only goes to show that It Takes Two is truly a passion project.
And it is teamwork that is the main focus of the game. Without it, you won’t be able to move anywhere. Every puzzle requires the players to help each other in creative ways. It’s simply something we’ve never seen in a videogame! By completing the puzzles May and Cody learn valuable things about each other, themselves, and their relationship. If you are attentive enough, you will surely learn many priceless things for yourself. That’s one of the reasons we strongly recommend this game to couple and adults; it’s no meaningless game, it’s serious business!
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As such, we believe that this game is best enjoyed with a loved one and among adults. It’s not that children won’t enjoy it, quite the opposite. But the lessons the game is trying to teach will probably go over their head (or not and it could give them a good idea about how love works for later). Nevertheless, It Takes Two has a lot to teach everyone. Their lessons don’t only shine in the story itself, but also in the conversations among the couple and their mentor: Dr Hakim, who could be the only weak point of the game. Thankfully, he doesn’t play an extremely important role, but his lines didn’t resonate well with us due to the voice and corniness. Even so, we can’t think of anything else which we would rate as only “not amazing.”
When it comes to graphics, there is hardly anything missing. The game is just beautiful, full of life and colours, well-thought-out and creative. At no point can you expect what kind of take the developers are going to have on an otherwise dull environment. The puzzles frequently change the perspectives, angles, and other aspects to keep the gameplay fresh and intuitive. Clearly, this labour of love was well envisioned, and the graphic designers spent a lot of time visualizing every single scene and seeing how well it works. And it works spectacularly! The atmosphere of the entire game is also extremely interesting. On the one hand, the pending divorce is ever-present. On the other hand, it all feels optimistic and light-hearted and the players will frequently feel happiness and sadness. It Takes Two is masterfully crafted so that you, the player, won’t turn it off with a bitter feeling of impending doom, but rather with the feeling that yes, love is work, but it’s worth every drop of sweat.
What did we like the most about It Takes Two?
-– Beautiful graphics
– An incredible amount of creativity and originality
– Great characters
– Masterful and powerful storytelling
– Only one player needs to own the game
– Well-thought-out mechanics and puzzle
– A lot of fun and many life lessons
– Great camera work and split-screen
What did we dislike about the game?
– Children might miss the core of the story
– Dr Hakim can be awkward at times
Overall, this game is a work of art and should be enjoyed by as many as possible. If you don’t mind Dr Hakim, then you will probably give it the perfect score, just as it deserves. It’s best to play the game with someone close to you and to closely listen to the story so that you don’t miss any of the spectacular writing and cues. Lastly, we simply cannot think of anything game-breaking that would ruin the fun for us!