In 2021, It Takes Two won game of the year at the Game Awards for its innovative gameplay and storytelling. This couch cooperative online game changed the way people viewed local co-op games and was enjoyed by many people. For this review, I will be reviewing the game on Nintendo switch to see if the story and its gameplay still holds up in 2023. Come with me on this emotional journey, and we will see whether it does take two to make it through the hardships of this journey.
The story of It Takes Two is that a dysfunctional married couple Cody and May are turned into dolls via a magic spell unknowingly casted by their daughter Rose who desperately wants them to stay together. They get trapped in a fantastical world and are reluctantly challenged by the love guru Dr. Hakim a living romance novel to overcome their various differences in order for them to be restored to their human forms and repair their relationship with themselves and their daughter Rose. On this magical, therapeutic journey, Cody and May are challenged by a variety of threats both big and small that are brought about by each of their own neglect towards one another. On their journey, they must challenge and overcome various obstacles with various magical abilities, and eventually rekindle the relationship that they once had.
The gameplay of It Takes Two is simple and has very fun cooperative gameplay mechanics, which is great for a game that’s primary selling point is its cooperative storytelling. In today’s modern gaming era it is almost impossible to find games that have fun cooperative gameplay outside of some online multiplayer shooters, it is even more rare to find a game with fun gameplay mechanics in a couch cooperative game. For most modern day games the ones that end up leaving the biggest impact are the ones with either the most compelling stories, fun and exciting gameplay, or on a few occasions both. What It Takes Two accomplished by succeeding at both not only changed the way people looked at the studio that made it, but also changed the way most people perceive cooperative games in terms of gameplay. As for the gameplay itself the basics on the Switch are simple, 1) the players use the B button to jump, double jump, or wall jump from wall to wall. 2) the player uses the X button to pick up items or interact with objects that are essential to progress through the level. 3) Clicking the left toggles the sprint. 4) the Y button is the dash button, and 5) After jumping press the A button for the ground pound which helps breaks objects that are in the way. All this game plays sounds similar to other basic controls in video games. What makes the gameplay stand out are the various magical cooperative abilities the players can receive in each level. Each level gives Cody and May a different ability than the previous level. These abilities, while different, are beneficial for cooperative gameplay. For example, near the end of the first level, Cody will receive magical nails that when thrown stick platforms in place and can be called back with a whistle, while May receives a hammer that she can use to both attack and pound platforms that Cody can stick with his nails. There are many magical abilities, and items throughout the game that give each character an edge when progressing through the levels.
In terms of level design, each level in It Takes Two is more different and unique than the previous one. From the beginning level to the end, the players are placed in different areas of the house that have been given more magical elements. From the tool shed with tools that are alive, to a garden who’s plants have not been treated in a long time and turned violent, and even the backyard tree that has been infested by wasps and are in conflict with the squirrels, each normal location has been magically amplified to make the levels more interesting than the last. each level has a different item that doesn’t carry over to the next level but that’s not a problem because unlike most games that have large amounts of collectibles this game doesn’t have any collectibles and instead has just made the worlds themselves more intractable meaning that if the player finds an old game console odds are the players will be able to play it because the developers have took time to make everything the player sees interactive. There are also various mini games scattered around the levels that don’t reward players with pointless collectibles but instead offer fun distractions to have with each other.
The only downside to the game being on the Switch are the graphics, which is largely due to the fact that the hardware on the Nintendo Switch is not as powerful as other gaming platforms, like the PlayStation, Xbox, or PC. This is only a minor inconvenience for me because most games I play often don’t have the best graphics but the best gameplay and story which is fine with me.
Overall, this is one of the best games I’ve played narratively and gameplay wise. The gameplay is very smooth and each level offers something new and exciting than the last level played. The overall story is also great for the overall because it made me experience different types of emotions, which shows how great the writing is. If players are looking for a game that isn’t cluttered with microtransactions or unnecessary collectibles then this is definitely the game for them because not only does this game support couch co-op gameplay, but also online cooperative gameplay, which means that the game can be played with a friend at any time.
Score: 10 out of 10
Reviewed on: Nintendo Switch