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It Takes Two Review
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Posted: 15 months ago, last updated 3 weeks ago.
Author: @GeekDadGamer, Jo Robertson and Rich Adams.
Overview
It Takes Two is a running, jumping and exploring game that tells a story of a young girl, Rose, whose parents are divorcing. The girl creates two dolls to represent her parents, which unexpectedly trap the clashing-couple in them. You and a friend co-operate as the dolls, each with unique abilities, to solve puzzles and help them work together, rather than pull in opposite directions.
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.
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
Content Rating: PEGI 12
Release Date: 26/03/2020
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
Genres: Action, Adventure, Narrative, Platform and Puzzle
Accessibility: 21 features
Developer: Hazelight Games (@HazelightGames)
Lists
View our choice of games like It Takes Two. This game is good if you want to:
Commitment
Duration: This game will take between 12 hours and 13 hours to complete. There are competitive mini-games you can unlock as you play. These, and other collection aspects of the levels, will extend the play time.
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.
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 usually costs £34.99.
Does not offer in-game purchases, 'loot boxes' or 'battle/season passes'.
You need to purchase a PlayStation Plus subscription to play online with PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5.
You need to purchase a Xbox Live Gold subscription to play online with Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S.
It Takes Two
 | Xbox One | £34.99 | – | £31.49 EA Play |
 | PS5 | £34.99 | – | – |
| PS4 | £34.99 | – | – |
 | PC | £34.99 | – | Free EA Play Pro |
Does not offer in-game purchases, 'loot boxes' or 'battle/season passes'.
You need to purchase a PlayStation Plus subscription to play online with PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5.
You need to purchase a Xbox Live Gold subscription to play online with Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S.
Age Ratings
Content Rating
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.
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.
Account Rating
You need be 18-years-old to to subscribe to Xbox Live Gold for online play, but can then configure family accounts for younger players to play online with Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S.You need be 18-years-old to subscribe to PlayStation Plus for online play, but can create sub-accounts for younger players of 7-years or older to play online with PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5.
Accessibility
Although there are no difficulty settings the game is set up so that one player can assist the other in certain areas.
Subtitles are provided but are small and not adjustable. The game provides a Voice-To-Text option that you can adjust font size for. Any gameplay that relies on colour is backed with symbols as well.
You can adjust most of the accessibility settings separately for each player.
Our It Takes Two Accessibility Report documents 21 accessibility features:
Subtitles are provided but are small and not adjustable. The game provides a Voice-To-Text option that you can adjust font size for. Any gameplay that relies on colour is backed with symbols as well.
You can adjust most of the accessibility settings separately for each player.
Our It Takes Two Accessibility Report documents 21 accessibility features:
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.
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