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Posted: 10 months ago, last updated 5 weeks ago.
Author: @GeekDadGamer, Jo Robertson and Rich Adams.
Overview
The mother doll is made of wood and the father doll is made of clay. As you play you need to use their different qualities to solve each challenge. It's an existential journey that wants to land some real world emotions about relationships, vulnerability and coping with parents splitting up.
As in the developer's Brothers A Tale Of Two Sons and A Way Out games, this is a co-operative adventure unique because each player has a different perspective on the action and the game is always played in split screen.
The style of play changes as you progress. But throughout, it is set in a larger than life world from the perspective of the two dolls. Whether it is puzzle solving, action focused or platforming, the game leverages these interactions as metaphors for the reluctant couple saving their fractured relationship.
Some may find the simplistic approach to relationship advice a little trite. However, the beautiful setting and unusual topic offer a novel way to talk about this difficult subject that may lead to deeper consideration of what really makes relationships break down and how we can put them back together again.
Game Details
Tips
View our choice of games like It Takes Two. This game is good if you want to:
Commitment
Players: You can play with 2 players in the same room and up to 2 players online. Choose from couch or online co-op with split-screen play, and face ever-changing challenges where working together is the only way forward.
Cross-Play: You can't play PlayStation and Xbox, but you can play between Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
Also, you can play online with a friend even if the other person doesn't own the game. The Friend's Pass feature enables them to join for free.
Costs
It Takes Two
 | Xbox One | £34.99 | – | £31.49 EA Play |
 | PS5 | £34.99 | – | – |
| PS4 | £34.99 | – | – |
 | PC | £34.99 | – | Free EA Play Pro |
This game is free to play. Does not offer in-game purchases, 'loot boxes' or 'battle/season passes'.
You will need Xbox Live Gold (must be 18 to create, then configure family accounts for younger players) to play online with Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S.
You will need PlayStation Plus (must be 18 to create, then create sub-accounts for younger players who need be set as 13 or older) to play online with PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5.
Age Ratings
Rated PEGI 12 because it features moderate violence and use of bad language. Violence is non-realistic, and no blood or injuries are shown. While some enemies can be blown up, they merely disappear in the explosion without any gory details. When the players’ characters are hit, they fall over, and stars appear before they get up again. If they are defeated, they simply break apart into particles before reforming at the last save point.
Sometimes the players’ characters can be pinned down by their enemies. In one scene, they are briefly held captive and are repeatedly jabbed by wasps armed with spears. They wave their arms and shout, while breaking apart and repeatedly reforming until their captors call off the attack. The game also includes infrequent use of bad language (‘*!@?*’, ‘bloody’, ‘*!@?*’ and ‘goddamn it’).
In one scene, the player characters are required to harm and kill another toy character. They do so in order to further their mission of attempting to escape from the fantasy world in which they’re trapped. While the violence has a purpose in the game’s narrative, and the violence is unrealistic in nature, featuring as it does toy characters, younger children may find the toy character’s frightened reaction (and powerfully-voiced response) to the violence upsetting.
ESRB TEEN for animated blood, comic mischief, fantasy violence and language. Fighting is highlighted by cries of pain, explosions, and some gunfire. Characters are sometimes impaled by nails, and enemies often emit multicolored splashes when struck; purple blood stains are also seen on the ground. Vomiting and flatulence references occur several times ("Pull my finger"; "Oh, I think I'm gonna throw up"; "Fart jokes are the best."); some characters emit flatulence for comedic effect. The word “sh*t” appears in the dialogue.
Users Interact: The game enables players to interact and communicate with each other, so may expose players to language usually associated with older rated games.
Accessibility
You can adjust most of the accessibility settings separately for each player.
Difficulty
How you can adjust the challenge of play, and assistance the game offers when you fail or get stuck.
Assistance
View Control Mapping: You can view a map of controls during play.
Assistance When Stuck: The game notices if you get stuck and provides assistance, such as skipping levels, hints or tutorials.
Tutorials: There are helpful tutorials, instructions and tips.
Reading
How much reading or listening comprehension is required, and how accessible this is.
Moderate Reading: Moderate reading required.
Text Visibility
Large Clear Text: Text is large and clear, or can be adjusted to be.
High Text Contrast: Text colour contrasts to background.
Any spoken content has subtitles: All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game.
Speaker Indicator and their Tone: Captions indicate who is speaking and their tone.
Voiced
All Dialogue is Voiced: All of the game dialogue and narrative can be voiced.
Menus are Voiced: All of the game menus can be narrated for easier navigation.
Controls
How you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Multiple Buttons & Two Sticks: Can play with multiple buttons and two sticks.
Motion Controls Not Required: You don’t need motion controls to play the game.
Invert X/Y Axis: You can invert the direction required to control looking and aiming.
Controller Vibration
Vibration Optional: Controller vibration not used in the game or you can disable it.
Informative Vibration: Controller vibration indicates aspects of the game, echoing visual and audio cues.
Image
How you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Bright Colourful Palette: Game uses bright colours and is generally high contrast.
Colourblind friendly: Game doesn’t rely on colour or can switch to colourblind friendly mode.
Audio
How you can adjust the audio of the game and whether audio cues compensate for aspects of the game that are hard to see.
Balance Audio Levels: Set music and game sound effects separately.
Communication
How you can communicate with other players in the game and what options are available to customise and control this interaction.
Voice Chat: Chat to other players by speaking with headset.
Text to Voice: Sent text messages as voice to other players.
Voice to Text: Convert voice from other players to text messages.
System Settings
Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators. PlayStation 4 has a range of accessibility settings. Some are system only, some work in games (invert colours and button mapping). PlayStation 5 has a range of system-wide accessibility settings. Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games. Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games... read more about system accessibility settings.
Supported by PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors: @GeekDadGamer
Games Like It Takes Two
Our experts have hand-picked the following similar games for you. These offer a similar way to play to It Takes Two or are games with a similar theme or topic. These are good alternative games to It Takes Two, or are a younger rated alternative for players not ready for PEGI 12+ or ESRB TEEN games.
Thank you for using our resource, supported by AskAboutGames, ParentZone and PlayAbility Initiative. We are editorially independent, written by parents for parents, but welcome sponsorship, partnership and suggestions. Email our editor for details on these opportunities.
The information on this database is designed to support and complement the in-depth discussion and advice about video game "addiction", violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. If you have any concerns or questions in these areas, email our editor who is quick to respond or can arrange for a one-to-one conversation.