It Takes Two

It Takes Two is an action-adventure and 3D platformer game, offering two-player co-op only, in which players take control over a pair of characters - Cody and May. Independent studio Hazelight, led by Josef Fares and known from highly rated A Way Out, is responsible for the production. The title was released as part of EA Originals - a program for indie game developers - developed by Electronic Arts.

Storyline

Rose's parents, Cody and May, plan to divorce. Rose is distraught and to ease her grief, she creates two dolls, one of clay and one of wood, to represent her mom and dad. In mysterious circumstances, the minds of the parents are transferred into the bodies of the dolls created by Rose. The miniaturized protagonists wake up in their own house, which reveals a new, fairy-tale face to them.

The quarreling couple begins to search for a way to return to their proper bodies. Dr. Hakim, an eccentric magician who specializes in saving relationships, tries to help them. However, Cody and May refuse to accept that they won't become human again until they start getting along. Nevertheless, they set off together on a journey through a known-unknown world where only by working together can they overcome numerous adversities.

Co-op

The centerpiece of It Takes Two is co-op, requiring two players to tackle both arcade and logic challenges. Players, as Cody and May, travel together through picturesque and often surreal locations, helping each other overcome obstacles. The game features a variety of challenges: players must avoid traps, annihilate enemies (including bosses) and solve puzzles. They can also compete in optional mini-games, which act as "finds".

Variety also characterizes the visited locations. For example, Cody and May find themselves in a garden, where they travel through lush vegetation on the backs of hairy spiders or leaping frogs. Other times they end up inside a snow globe, where they skate across the ice, jump over chasms, and solve puzzles using magnets. They also visit toy outer space and a shed overrun by rogue tools, among other things. At each stage, characters use different gadgets or abilities to help them deal with puzzles and enemies.

The three-dimensional world of It Takes Two was maintained in pleasant, vivid colors. The characters and locations presented in the game are shown in a simplified style, reminiscent of films or animated series.

Friend's Pass

The title includes a unique feature - free "Friend's Pass" in the online co-op mode. Even if a player has not purchased the title, they can still join a friend's game - all they have to do is download the free Friend's Pass and receive an invitation from them. It should be noted, however, that this feature does not work cross-platform - for example, a PS5 owner cannot play together with an Xbox user. However, cross-generation play is possible within a single hardware family, i.e. PS4 and PS5 owners and XOne and XSX/S owners.