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Softonic review

A spectacular co-op experience for your PS4

It Takes Two is an award winning action-adventure platformer considered by many as the best co-op game in the history of gaming. Developed by Hazelight Studios (A Way Out), the latest creation of Josef Fares (Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons) brings an emotional tale of love, forgiveness and understanding to the PlayStation 4. With colorful graphics, great gameplay and clever puzzles to solve, this 2-player experience is one you won’t easily forget. Do you want to know why? Let’s dive into the imaginative world of It Takes Two.

Story

It Takes Two puts us in the shoes of May and Cody, a married couple in the middle of a divorce process. Time has taken its toll in their relationship and the lack of communication has completely dried what once was a happy family. Their daughter, Rose, is oblivious about this until one day she finds out about her parents’ plans. Not knowing how to deal with it, Rose takes two rag dolls that look like them and plays with them, pretending they make up and fall in love again. Realizing it’s only a game, Rose’s tears fall on the toys causing an unexpected event: her parents' consciousness get trapped inside the dolls.

Hoping Rose will be able to help them get back their bodies, May and Cody are forced to talk things out and work together to survive in their now gigantic house. They won’t be alone in their adventure though… Dr Hakim, a witty and kind of self-centered relationship therapy book will accompany them, making them remember what brought the couple together in the first place. Mixing humor and lighthearted moments with sad and emotional scenes, It Takes Two offers a beautiful story that’s definitely worth playing.

Gameplay

It Takes Two offers a great mix of platformer and adventure mechanics with a special twist: You’ll need someone else to play it with. The game can only be played in co-op, either locally with a split-screen or through online play. Each level will present a series of puzzles and situations that you’ll have to solve by combining the different abilities that May and Cody have. For that reason, both players will have to talk and communicate to be able to overcome any obstacle. As you can guess, talking things out is one of the game’s themes.

Although It Takes Two follows a simple premise, the game shines with its ever changing mechanics. May and Cody’s abilities will keep changing throughout the adventure and just when you think you’ve got them down, they’ll switch into something completely different. Adjusting to their new powers will take time, but this only adds to the fun of solving all kinds of clever puzzles and conundrums along with your comrade. 

Exploring the game’s maps is an absolute pleasure. If you’re a fan of Pixar’s Toy Story, you’ll surely feel at home with this couple’s misadventures. It Takes Two recreates various familiar and homely locations such as a garden, a cuckoo clock, snow globe, Rose’s room and even a messy attic. All in all, a wild world where these unlucky ragdolls will have to survive. These colossal areas are inhabited by all sorts of magical and memorable characters that range from kids toys to evil appliances. Some of them will help us, others will want to crush us, so make sure to watch out.

If you’re a fan of Fares' games, you’ll surely know this creative genius really dislikes collectibles in games. For that reason, It Takes Two escapes the trend of finding hidden objects scattered around the map. This doesn’t mean the game lacks replayability though since there is a lot to do in It Takes Two. The game is full of objects to interact with and places to explore with your partner. You’ll find buttons to push, gadgets and interactive objects that completely have no purpose whatsoever apart from entertaining you. Also, the game offers a wide range of minigames such as chess, tug of war or even a rhythm game to play with your partner.

Graphics

Aesthetically, It Takes Two looks is amazing. Full of gorgeous lighting, vibrant colors and excellent use of shadows and textures, this is one of the best looking games on the PS4. The game also performs very well on Sony’s console, holding a constant 60 fps and only dipping if any particle effects are involved. While the graphics don’t look as crisp and smooth as its PS5 counterpart, It Takes Two is a serious looker for previous generation owners. 

How to download It Takes Two for free

Yes, we’re not joking. You can download It Takes Two free of any cost. Since the game has been designed to play in couch co-op (split-screen), local wireless play (full screen) and online co-op, it includes the ability to send what the developers call “Friend Pass”. This feature lets any player that owns a copy of It Takes Two to send an extra copy to a friend, allowing them to download it for free.

Does the game allow cross-platform multiplayer?

No, the game doesn’t allow cross-play. Owners of the PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch or PS5 version of It Takes Two won’t be able to co-op with you.

How long does it take to complete It Takes Two?

It takes an average of 15 hours to beat It Takes Two. However, the game is full of extras, easter eggs and minigames that are worth discovering.

A feel-good and amazing co-op experience

It Takes Two is a wonderful choice whether you’re looking for a good game to play with a friend or a refreshing experience that you’ll remember for years to come. Its clever puzzles, charming characters and emotional storytelling simply shine on the PS4, bringing its colorful world to life without any noticeable issue. Beautiful and breakneck-paced, this rollercoaster of emotions is filled with so many fun co-op mechanics and ideas that, as Fares said, it is unlike any other platformer you might have played before. If you have a co-op partner, this is a game you seriously don’t want to miss.

PROS

  • Excellent co-op gameplay
  • Clever level design
  • Emotive story
  • Friend pass feature

CONS

  • Doesn’t allow cross-play

Also available in other platforms

Program available in other languages



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