9 /10 19

It Takes Two stands as a landmark achievement in cooperative gaming, combining a mature narrative about relationship struggles with gameplay innovation that surprises across every chapter. Released in March 2021, this exclusive co-op experience from Hazelight Studios and Electronic Arts has sold over 20 million copies, won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2021, and continues to resonate with players seeking meaningful multiplayer experiences beyond competitive shooters. The game maintains an 88 Metacritic score reflecting critical consensus: it is a masterpiece that justifies playing through a full campaign with another person. This review explores the game’s narrative depth, explains why its gameplay constantly reinvents itself, examines technical performance across platforms, and determines whether Friend’s Pass makes it accessible enough for casual co-op players.

How to Play It Takes Two

It Takes Two is a cooperative 3D platformer that requires exactly two players to progress. You control Cody or May, a married couple transformed into dolls by Dr. Hakim’s magic spell. The game splits the screen horizontally or vertically depending on current mechanics, allowing both players to see their character while maintaining visual cohesion.

1. Controls – Move with left stick, jump with face buttons, interact with shoulder buttons. Each world teaches new mechanics before expanding them: vacuum cleaners, hammers, pinballs, and climbing rope sequences. Control schemes feel natural on both controller types.
2. Progression – Advance chapter by chapter across approximately 12-14 distinct worlds. Each zone introduces new mechanics rather than requiring mastery of existing ones. Story cinematics bookend chapters, creating narrative momentum alongside gameplay variety.
3. Mechanics – One player might control time while the other navigates obstacles. Another chapter has one player wielding a minigun while the other steers. Asymmetrical controls force genuine cooperation because neither player can complete challenges alone.
4. Tips – Communicate constantly; silent co-op often fails. Play at similar difficulty levels if available; mismatched skill gaps create frustration. The game scales gracefully but expects both players to engage actively. Take breaks between chapters to discuss the emotional beats rather than rushing.

Who Should Play It Takes Two

It Takes Two targets mature audiences seeking meaningful cooperative experiences. The narrative addresses relationship conflict, grief, and reconciliation with emotional maturity rarely seen in games, making it resonant for players wanting substance alongside entertainment value.

• Relationship Gamers – Couples, friends, or family members wanting to experience a story together find profound emotional resonance. The game’s divorce narrative and reconciliation arc feel authentic rather than heavy-handed.
• Cooperative Players – If you love games like A Way Out or Portal 2, It Takes Two delivers similar clever mechanical puzzles requiring both players’ unique abilities. Asymmetrical challenges prevent soloing sequences.
• Narrative Enthusiasts – Director Josef Fares crafts dialogue and character moments with cinematic quality. The game transitions seamlessly between comedy and genuine emotional depth without tonal whiplash.
• Skip if – You strongly prefer single-player experiences or cannot commit 12-16 hours with another person. The game absolutely requires two players; no single-player mode exists. Also skip if you dislike narrative-heavy games or mature themes surrounding marriage conflict.

It Takes Two Platform Performance

Performance varies significantly between platforms. PC delivers the most flexible experience with frame rate options up to 144 FPS on powerful hardware. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X both maintain 60 FPS at 4K resolution in quality mode, or 120 FPS at 1440p in performance mode. Nintendo Switch runs at 720p docked and 540p handheld at 60 FPS with occasional drops during intensive scenes.

It Takes Two System Requirements

PC players can run It Takes Two on modest hardware, though recommended specs deliver the intended visual experience. The game scales surprisingly well across hardware tiers, making it accessible to players with older GPUs while rewarding high-end rigs with enhanced visuals and frame rates.

Similar Games to It Takes Two

Players seeking experiences matching It Takes Two’s blend of emotional narrative and cooperative mechanics will appreciate these alternatives. Each offers different tones or gameplay focuses while maintaining the cooperative backbone that makes It Takes Two special.

• A Way Out – Hazelight’s 2018 debut exclusive co-op game about two prisoners escaping. Similar asymmetrical mechanics and narrative focus; slightly less polished but thematically cohesive.
• Portal 2 Co-Op – Puzzle platformer with two-player campaign emphasizing mechanical cooperation over narrative depth. Shorter (4-5 hours) but features brilliant puzzle design rewarding both players.
• Moving Out – Chaotic cooperative furniture-moving puzzle game. Lighter tone than It Takes Two; shorter playtime (5-8 hours) but maintains the “both players necessary” design philosophy.
• Unravel Two – Puzzle platformer starring two connected yarn creatures. Beautiful art and physics; lighter narrative but similar asymmetrical challenge design.

It Takes Two vs Competitors

This comparison positions It Takes Two against other standout cooperative titles, examining price, content length, narrative depth, and critical reception to establish its value proposition in a crowded multiplayer landscape.

It Takes Two Story and World

The narrative follows Cody and May, a couple on the brink of divorce whose 8-year-old daughter Rose uses a magic spell to transform them into living dolls, forcing them to cooperate to reverse her magic. The journey traverses fantastical environments: a collapsing house, a garden where they are shrunk to bee size, a beautiful forest, and industrial nightmare worlds reflecting their emotional states. Director Josef Fares threads emotional beats throughout, using gameplay setpieces to comment on relationship dynamics. A vacuum cleaner sequence becomes a metaphor for conflict resolution. A pinball segment represents chaos in their relationship. The game balances levity with genuine vulnerability, never losing sight of the central question: can these two rediscover why they love each other? By the finale, most players report feeling emotionally invested in whether Cody and May reconcile.

It Takes Two Multiplayer and Online

It Takes Two supports only two-player cooperative gameplay, playable via couch co-op or online across all platforms. The Friend’s Pass system allows non-owners to play freely when hosted by someone who owns the game, making it unusually accessible for multiplayer titles.

• Online Co-Op – Play across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch with cross-platform limitations. Friend’s Pass does not support cross-platform invites; both players must use the same console family or PC ecosystem.
• Local Co-Op – Couch co-op with split-screen works with both connected controllers or mouse and keyboard. Requires one screen; single Joy-Con support is limited.
• Friend’s Pass – The host invites one friend who downloads the free Friend’s Pass version. The guest plays the entire campaign with no restrictions. Only one invited friend at a time; once they stop, you can invite another.
• Cross-Play – Not fully supported. PlayStation players cannot invite Xbox friends directly; you need Friend’s Pass compatibility within your console family or PC storefronts.

It Takes Two DLC and Expansions

Electronic Arts has not released DLC content for It Takes Two as of January 2025. The game launched as a complete experience without post-launch monetization or content packs. Free updates have addressed technical issues and performance improvements, but no narrative expansions exist.

• Base Game Complete – It Takes Two released with its full intended campaign at purchase. No planned DLC roadmap has been announced, suggesting developer focus has shifted to future projects.
• Free Updates – Patches have improved performance across platforms, particularly on Nintendo Switch. Visual adjustments and stability fixes continue sporadically, but major feature additions remain absent.
• No Cosmetics Pass – Unlike competitive multiplayer games, It Takes Two includes no cosmetic DLC, battle pass, or cosmetic shop. Character skins unlock through gameplay only.
• Hazelight’s Next Project – The studio has moved on to new original IP, suggesting It Takes Two represents a complete creative statement rather than a franchise launcher requiring sequels.

It Takes Two Community and Support

The community remains active across social media, Reddit, Discord, and streaming platforms. Players share emotional reactions, speedrun attempts, and highlights frequently. Electronic Arts maintains active support with bug fixes and optimization patches, particularly for the Nintendo Switch version.

• Official Community – Electronic Arts hosts official forums and social channels where players discuss experiences, share video clips, and report technical issues directly to developers.
• Reddit and Discord – Communities like r/ItTakesTwo host thousands of members discussing strategies, emotional impacts, and multiplayer coordination. Fan servers help players find co-op partners if they lack local ones.
• Content Creation – Streamers regularly broadcast playthroughs, particularly highlighting emotional story beats. YouTube features hundreds of compilation videos of players’ first reactions to major narrative moments.
• Ongoing Support – EA continues releasing patches addressing crashes and performance bottlenecks, particularly on Switch. Response times vary, but the game receives steady maintenance without commercial pressure for live-service expansion.