It Takes Two - 8.2
It Takes Two is Hazelight Studios award-winning entry into the action-adventure platform genre and my god is it worth a play.
Warning! Spoilers ahead!
Scores:
Originality: 9
Gameplay: 9
Story: 8
Audio: 7
Art & UI Design: 8
Total Score: 8.2 /10
ORIGINALITY
It is rare for a game to release that requires co-op play even in story mode. The decision is a bold one that limits the potential audience and makes a good reason for many casual gamers not to pick it up. However, that risk is well worth the reward in It Takes Two, which for all intents and purposes is well worth hounding your friends (and / or family members) to join you in playing. Almost every single aspect of the game is refreshing in its originality, whether that be the story – which although a little down heartening in moments, feels authentic – the gameplay which moves seamlessly from theme to theme or the art, which is beautifully crafted to fit a unique game world.
GAMEPLAY
It Takes Two offers split-screen play (even when online) as you and your companion work together to solve puzzles and ‘fix’ a broken marriage by releasing the unhappy couple from a spell that has them trapped as little dolls. This is carried out through numerous different themes including a child’s bedroom, a treehouse, an infested garden, a winter wonderland, and many more. Each individual theme features its own mechanics with the main characters receiving new tools that offer new utility. What’s incredible, is that the designers do an incredible job of fitting the tools appropriately within the context or theme of the area. For example, players are given opposite ends of a magnet when trying to complete a level aimed to help the couple rediscover ‘attraction’ for one another. This kind of attention-to-detail grounds many of the ‘wackier’ levels with a much more authentic feel.
Not only do the game mechanics feel grounded, but it is worth noting that the game itself regularly flits between 2D and 3D. This has been tried previously in many games and it almost never works. Often, a game may swap to a 2D camera angle, whilst keeping the player object in 3D, this can lead to uncomfortable viewing and often makes the 2D elements of a game redundant. This is not at all the case with It Takes Two. The game seamlessly swaps between 2D and 3D and does so without harming the player experience at all. In fact, more than once the game swapped dimensions and it took a moment to notice that it had happened as the designers fitted the change in with a comfortable animation or movement of the camera angle.
Another noteworthy addition to the game is the number of external references and easter eggs. These can come in the form of minigames or indeed even levels themselves. The game has part of a level that takes part as a ‘diablo-esque’ RPG with players using ice and fire magic abilities to carve down enemies. Similarly, one level has a 2D ‘Mortal Kombat’-like fighting game with one player flying a plane and the other fighting a boss on top of it (complete with ‘Finish Him’ voice line). Many of these elements add fun to the game design whilst referencing pop-culture or video game culture in ways that most players are guaranteed to recognise.
This does bring me to the one thing I have to complain about in the gameplay of It Takes Two. Many of the levels are incredibly fun. In fact, some of them could very well have been turned into their own fully fleshed out games. However, the game sometimes hurries players through these areas in the interest of the story and many of the mechanics (for example, fidget spinner helicopter gliders) do not last long enough for players to get full enjoyment out of them. Numerous times myself and my friend found ourselves wishing we could play around with a specific game mechanic a little bit longer or found that whilst one level was quite fun for one of us, the other players role in the level was a little simpler and less exciting. Whilst this is a minor complaint, it would have certainly been nice to have some of the levels a little more fleshed out.
STORY
I have to preface this section with the fact that I have never played a game where the main story involves impromptu marriage counselling on the part of a talking ‘Book of Love’ with a questionable Hispanic accent. Nor do I think I would ever have wanted to. That’s where the story of It Takes Two gets you. At times it is so unbelievable that you just have to keep playing to see where the characters go and what they have to do next.
Upon first playthrough, I immediately became worried after the opening cinematics at what appeared to be quite a serious and emotionally loaded topic to deal with in a game. However, the game quickly manages to transition from the rather difficult topic of divorce proceedings to a positive experience, which shows two adults slowly rediscovering not just their relationship, but themselves once again through a series of ridiculous puzzles and challenges (and when I say ridiculous – I mean RIDICULOUS; at one point you become a secret agent in a war between the squirrels and the wasps).
This can mean that the story’s pace is a little all over the place: one minute May is shouting about how Cody doesn’t adequately keep the house clean, tidy, and functioning while she’s at work, and then next you are trying to assassinate an elephant-princess teddy bear by dragging her off a cliff. However, this works to the benefit of the story as it allows the serious issues to be discussed, but without dragging the entire experience of the game to a negative place. Though it can make it hard to follow at times.
AUDIO
The audio for the game is a bit of a double-bladed sword. On the one hand, many of the audio lines are energetic and fit well within the (at times ridiculous) theme of the game. On the other, the VO lines often leave a little to be desired. This rarely affects Dr Hakim, who is voiced energetically – if perhaps a little too energetically – by Joseph Balderrama. However, it does come through in May and Cody, whose lines at times feel a little flat and emotionless. Whilst emotionless voice lines may be believable in the case of soon-to-be divorcees, it never really picks up as the main characters begin to discover their hobbies, passions, and relationship once more. This would be one area where, should a sequel be made, it would be good to see progress made.
ART
It Takes Two possesses some of the most beautiful environment and world art of any game that I have played in 2021. Whether it be the Winter Wonderland or the Treehouse level the backdrop of the game is always visually stunning. The same can be said for many of the game mechanics as they fit seamlessly into the environment. The art style always remains true to itself despite the changing locales, and all-in-all offers an incredible support to the world-building in It Takes Two.
Environment Art (Source: Olle Norling)
ROUND UP
It Takes Two is undoubtedly a deserving winner of the 2021 Game of the Year award. It is fun, energetic and unforgiving in its ridiculousness and that just makes you want to play more. Minor improvements to the VOs and a bit more time with some of the games more unique mechanics would have made an unforgettable game into a near perfect experience but in any case Hazelight Studios have knocked it out of the park on this one.