When a co-op game works, it's something magical. Being able to work alongside another player - particularly when in local multiplayer - provides a satisfaction that very few kinds of games can bring. Developer Hazelight Studios understood this perfectly with the fantastic A Way Out, and the studio's new project It Takes Two also puts co-op front and center.
It Takes Two casts the players as Cody and May, an estranged married couple who have decided to get a divorce. However, they are turned into a pair of dolls through a spell cast by their daughter Rose, and have to try and find a way to get back into their human bodies. Along the way, they'll need to traverse magical versions of locations around the house, using skills and items they pick up through their travels.
There's a stunning variety when it comes to the game's locations. The players will move from a dusty workshop to the squirrel-controlled underbelly of a tree, or from Rose's bedroom to the inside of a snow globe. Aesthetically, It Takes Two feels similar to Sackboy: A Big Adventure, the title that's arguably the best couch co-op experience on the PS5 to date.
When it comes to gameplay, however, It Takes Two is much more varied than Sumo Digital's recent release. It Takes Two jumps from 3D platforming to a Tekken-esque fighting game, while other sections cover gameplay modes as varied as a third person shooter or puzzler. The title even goes into the territory of a Diablo-style action RPG for one section, for those who are disappointed about the lack of couch co-op in the Diablo II remake.
What's impressive is just how well each of It Takes Two's sections plays. Even when gameplay swaps so regularly, with every level seeing a change, there's a quality to Hazelight's take on various genres that is truly remarkable, all the while still managing to feel like a cohesive package. It's a real achievement, particularly given that there's very little downtime for one player while the other completes their tasks - even if some sections do feel a little clunky.
Quite simply, It Takes Two is a joy to play, almost acting as a series of theme park rides connected through a single story. Some moments are genuinely thrilling, like a wonderful time-bending section inside a clock, or a brilliant boss fight on a chess board, with pieces moving as they would in an actual game. It Takes Two never forgets its co-op focus either, constantly requiring collaboration to succeed and giving the players plenty of opportunities to troll one another in humorous ways.
It Takes Two also has an interesting plot, with the player growing to understand the complexity of the family's dynamic through Cody and May. It's worth noting that the game is quite strange tonally, with a cutesy surface layer that belies some dark humour underneath, such as a moment where the players have to dismember and ultimately kill a ridiculously sweet stuffed elephant character. The closest comparison is Labyrinth, blending slapstick moments and cartoonish characters with scenes of genuine threat.
That's not to say that It Takes Two is perfect, as there are some small issues. The pacing feels a bit disjointed, with the player spending more time in some areas than others, and there are a few glitches here and there that might frustrate. Thankfully, these bugs are relatively minor thanks to a lenient respawn system, and nothing truly undermines the overall quality.
Overall, It Takes Two is a wonderful co-op game, at a time where we need these kind of games more than ever. The game is gorgeous to look at with a heartfelt, funny story, and such remarkable variety of gameplay that no-one could get bored. Some publishers may feel couch co-op isn't viable any more, but It Takes Two proves just how powerful the setup can be with the right blend of gameplay and charm.
It Takes Two releases March 26 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Screen Rant was provided with a PS5 download code for the purposes of this review.