It Takes Two

Between my fiancé, Molly, and I, I'm the gamer of the pair (duh). Videogames have never really been Molly's "thing", though she respects that I enjoy them so much as a hobby, story-telling platform, and de-stressing tool. Plus she does a wicked impersonation of me playing Call of Duty...

Once I started to hear all the praise for It Takes Two, a new game from Josef Fares and part of EA's "Originals" program, I debated whether or not to ask if Molly would play it with me. The praise, gameplay videos, and my curiosity quickly won over and before you know it, we were buying a second PS5 controller and downloading the game. I was eager to play it, but worried it may be too much for a non-gamer to pick up and play. 

Without burying the lead, all of my worries were unsubstantiated and It Takes Two, specifically playing it with the future woman that I'll marry, was one of my favorite memories I've had in my long gaming "career". [Cue cheesy salesman voice] But don't take my word for it! Here's Molly's own thoughts:

If you're getting Pixar vibes here, you're not wrong...

Yes! You can actually play
chess vs. one another!

Hey gamers! We've never had the pleasure of meeting before. I'm Molly, the fiancé of the guy's blog you were expecting to read today. Surprise, you get me for a bit! Now, let me introduce myself so you can get a sense of my accolades and thus see me as a credible source for this review. The last time I played a video game you had to blow on the cartridge to get them to work (was this even a good idea!?), arcades were still popular at malls and Super Smash Bros has just come out. My hand-eye coordination is as close to non-existent as you can get and button mashing is my specialty. So, you could say I'm a bit of a savant. 

Now, when your significant other asks you to play an action-adventure animated video game designed for cooperative multiplayer, you say "say what?". After they explain it a second time, and you still don't understand, you say yes because you're a good person who supports their hobbies...and something was burning on the stove. To be honest, he got me by saying it'd be a great unique way for us to spend time together and I'm a total cheese ball for that kind of stuff. So here we are...clearly we made it out the other side...but not without some well-timed (re: necessary) pauses, focused energy and ab-aching laughs.

End to end, this game was was amazing! It was a sweet story, the world of the game itself was beautiful and dynamic and I do think I vastly improved my gaming skills. In a good way, it was much longer than we anticipated but it kept making you want to come back for more. From mountain tops to under the sea, to sneaking past moles to overthrowing the elephant Queen, we really did have a good time together. We laughed, Jordan had to get real serious and tell me to focus on multiple occasions (because button mashing, remember!) and more moments than we thought lead to high-fives for a job well done! I still may not be able to move the analog and camera joysticks at the same time and I still button mash when I'm frustrated but if the point of the game was to bring two people together, then mission accomplished Cody & May!

Consistently gorgeous and changing environments...

I'm going to echo everything Molly said, but if you know me and my gaming reviews, it'll likely be over the course of 1,000+ words. She's absolutely correct though - the game, end to end, is something to behold. It Takes Two tells the story of a mid-aged couple who have hit a rough patch and are going through a divorce. May (the mother) works too hard and too long of hours while Cody supports their kid, but has given up on his dreams and doesn't really try or communicate anymore. Rose, their daughter, makes a wish and, in a very Disney/Pixar sort of way, May and Cody fall into a deep sleep, becoming doll versions of themselves. Working together, they must find a way to reverse the curse and become human again. Both Cody and May are outfitted with incredible voice work that feels genuine and often has some good/great comedic timing. Dr. Hakim - a book of love with bookmark ribbons as arms - is a hilarious addition and the "guiding light" on their journey back to their daughter. For years to come, Molly and I will likely shout his motto, "co-lab-or-AAtion!", when in testing moments of our own relationship. If there are couples (in real life) going through some serious issues, I wouldn't recommend the game A) because it's not going to be a great therapist and B) it tends to make light (somewhat) of the situation with some easy-breezy "just work together" spirit. For the story it works just fine, but I imagine it would be incredibly awkward playing with someone you plan on not being with, not to mention the more frustrating moments could just exacerbate the issue.

Look familiar?

One of the things I was most nervous about when we embarked on this adventure was just how difficult the game would be, particularly for someone like Molly who wasn't super videogame savvy. Would we even make it through the game? Would we hit walls? Obviously, since I'm writing this, the answer is that we completed that game and aside from one specific part, there was never a time where we felt stuck. Even better, we only had to switch controllers a handful of moments that, if I'm being honest, Molly could have eventually overcome. The "Numbered Blocks" section was one where our timing depended heavily on one another and...well let's just say that it was our most heated moment that we'll look back on and laugh at as it involved me screaming into a pillow and Molly finally getting past it while her nose was 2 inches away from the screen. Truthfully, if both persons playing It Takes Two are good at videogames, they'll be fine. 

This is perhaps the most impressive part of the game though: not only is it do-able for someone "new" to gaming (though I do think you have to have at least one person who's stronger on the gaming front), but for someone like me, this is one of the most fun games I've played in a long time. At it's heart, it's a third person platformer/adventure with animated characters, but from that base, the developers were able to capture nearly every single type of gameplay I can think of. It's hard for me to pick a "favorite" moment because the game genuinely is adding new elements, powers, tools, and abilities every 10-20 minutes. There's a Mario-Kart-esque racing section, a part where one person has a hammer and another has a nail gun, another when you must control time together, areas where you can fly and swim, or even top-down dungeon sections that play like a combat game.

The "Christopher Nolan" section

Steering a ship with 4
analog sticks is...interesting

I'll emphasize the word impressive again because it's one of the easiest descriptors of the game and how smart all of this design is. All of this dynamic gameplay is one thing. But it's a COMPLETELY different thing to do each of these things from a cooperative gameplay point of view. Basically for every good idea they had, they then had to ask: "Well how do we compliment, enhance, or balance that with Player 2?" And if you're wondering, there's no "weak" player here. Molly and I played as May and Cody, respectively and we're eager to eventually hop back in and swap roles. Generally speaking, both players are doing the same thing, but certain times have each getting specific powers to help the other traverse the map or do damage control while another is unlocking gates. Or...you have moments where Cody is flying a paper plane and May is fighting a squirrel general atop its wings...so yeah. The amount of ingenuity in this game is never-ending and half the fun in playing through it is just to simply see what they come up with next.  

I was also blown away with its length. For a $40 game, Molly and I got a hell of a lot of value out of this and, while it likely took us longer than a gaming-savvy-duo would need, it's still a game that extends FAR past when you think it's going to end. From a story perspective, it leads to some uneven false-peak climaxes, but from a value and excitement perspective as players, it's the best news there is. Is it too long? Sure, the story is, but when your gameplay is consistently changing throughout, is there really such thing as too long? We both estimate that it took 15-20 hours for us to beat, which is about 10 hours longer than I thought it would be. 

"Star Command, come in!"

It Takes Two is also a stunning game to look at, despite (and likely because of) it's animated style. On the PS5 it was sharp and never had framerate issues, not to mention 0 load times whatsoever. It's genuinely a game that will awe you with its artwork, visuals, sound editing, and explosion of color. Certain segments are designed to be a "Honey I shrunk the kids" visual with our clay and wooden dolls against realistic backdrops, while others are more comical, like flying around in "heaven" with pigs. No matter where it is, the graphics are perfect compliments for all the praise I got to share on everything beforehand.  

Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't re-emphasize how much damn fun this game is. Obviously, you've probably gathered as much by now, but there's a lot to be said for a game that tells a good, sometimes great story, but can continuously be fun hour after hour. Most games hit lulls. Most games hit dry spots. Some games bore themselves out all together. It Takes Two really never had a dull moment and the joy of playing together, us soon-to-be husband and wife, while drinking an evening beer or a morning coffee, is sure to be some of my favorite gaming memories ever. There were many laughs, lots of "Ooo this is so cool!", some pep talks, high-fives, some pauses to "FOCUS"...but most importantly there was a lot of fun had between the two of us. 

"So you're saying we're inside the jukebox?"

It Takes Two gets the highest recommendation I can give. It will deserve to be on all the "Game of the Year" nomination lists it shows up on. Sure, its not going to keep you going for hours on end like the latest Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed, but it's also not that type of game. You also shouldn't skip it because it's a "kids game" (it's not) or because it's not your usual type of game (it's so many types of game that you can't really say that). Instead, find a buddy, a spouse, a sibling, or a family member - or use the game's online option - and buckle up for a wonderful, ever-changing, and perpetually fun game that you'll look back on fondly.

CONS

• Obviously, with so many variations in gameplay, some work better than others. There are really only one or two I found "meh" though
• From a story perspective, the game has some weird pacing issues. There are multiple false climaxes that throw you off
• Some elements of story that felt like afterthoughts. Example: Rose's human parents are "sleeping" the entire time, during the day. At what point does this girl get concerned that both of her parents are basically comatose?!?

PROS

• Top-notch voice acting with memorable characters. Cody and May are both authentic people with flaws and Dr. Hakim, while a little over-the-top, is worth many good laughs
• Much longer than I thought it would be and great value for only $40
• Gameplay that changes a mind-blowing amount of times. Not only that, it all works well. Not only that, it all has unique ways to incorporate 2 players. Truly stunning and inventive
• Fun. It's the best word I can use for this game
• The story is creative and worthwhile. As a couple's experience, it's more fun with some added laughs
• Seeing what they come up with next is half the thrill!
• Consistently gorgeous, colorful, and sounds great
• Never too challenging without being mind-numbingly easy. Somehow, someway, it manages a perfect balance of each for both newcomers and veterans
• Did I mention it's just a damn blast to play?

Rath's Review Score |

10/10 - Instant Classic