It Takes Two is an unusual game, it’s somewhat of a mishmash of multiple genres in games combined into a platforming romantic comedy. Developer Hazelight Studios do a commendable job of showcasing the struggles of a relationship being held back by a weird set of circumstances in a playful manner, creating one of the most fun to play co-op games that is meant to be played with a significant other, a sibling, a friend or someone you want to get closer to by sharing your love of video games.
How to Download It Takes Two
To download the game for the platform of your choice, click on the Download button at the end of this review.
Story and Setting
The story revolves around Cody and May, husband and wife who are caught in a weird dream-like experience as miniatures. They are turned into dolls in their own house, right after they tell their daughter about their divorce. It’s not just a dream that they find themselves in, mind you.
It’s because of a character in the game known as Dr. Hakim, an anthropomorphic self-help book who will show the couple how they can get through any hurdle in their relationship and love through their cooperative powers.
The game’s setting is a beautiful LSD-fuelled collection of different worlds, from which Cody and May must traverse through to regain their human selves. Hazelight’s mastery of world design shines bright here, as each world is uniquely crafted with more than a plethora of different sights to see and things to do. One moment you’re running around in an old attic, the next you’re sliding down snowy hills inside of a Snow Globe, out of nowhere Cody is piloting a plane made out of boxers through a tree-top while May is doing a street fighter-like sequence against a squirrel.
Gameplay and Design
To start off on the gameplay of this engaging platformer; Dr. Hakim isn’t just a character for the story but he also brings a ton of variation to the gameplay. Each time there is a cutscene with him involved, you get a new set of abilities for a level to help each other progress through them. The platforming in the game is carried by the tight controls to its jumping and movement mechanics. These made each jump feel super responsive and moving from platform to platform itself was a ton of fun.
The game is constantly throwing curveballs at you at each turn to surprise you. Each new world comes with new abilities to play through, one world had Cody and May play as a wizard and Barbarian in a dungeon crawl sequence which was insanely creative.
There was another part where you jump around inside of a kaleidoscope as the platforms are constantly changing and the kaleidoscope is spinning. The game’s creativity relies completely on cooperation, in an early chapter you have a nail gun that throws nails at certain objects, which then May can jump onto with the hammer attached to her back. It’s a beautiful amalgamation of different character-specific abilities, that constantly keep you on your toes and refreshes the game in each chapter.
Visuals
The game might not have the most hyper-realistic-looking graphics you’ve ever seen, but the beautiful art style and the incredible lighting design make the game exceptionally pleasing to look at. Each world has its own distinct personality, whether the icy hills inside of a snow globe, the rustic feel of an attic, or a mesmerizing journey through treetops. Everything looks as it should.
The voice acting is great here, with May and Cody sounding like real people at the start and even as miniatures. Each world is scored differently, with mini-games having their own music, each of these scores is so infectious that you’ll be humming them for a week after finishing the 10-hour journey.
