Released in 2021, It Takes Two turned a lot of heads around the world for supplying veteran gamers with what they’ve been craving for years: coziness and authenticity. I am revisiting this piece in 2026 after five years of its original publication because it goes without saying that this game still holds up. Its story, gameplay, puzzles, and environments can still give any and every modern game out there a run for their money.
When it comes to video games, I'm not easily pleased. In other words, fancy graphics or top-notch animations ain't gonna cut it. At the time of writing this piece, the majority of recent video games haven't been up to par to leave a mark in my brain like Resident Evil 4, Metal Gear Solid 4, The Last of Us, or The Ghost of Tsushima. But, this co-op action-adventure game developed by Hazelight Studios not only is gonna engrain an irremovable memory in your head while teleporting you back to your childhood, but also makes you yearn for a sequel.
The story in a nutshell
The synopsis of the video game would be: a struggling married couple resorts to a divorce, and their little girl, Rose, is devastated and caught in the crossfire. Heartbroken, she makes a wish to turn her mom and dad into friends again. The ultimate result is that Cody (Father) and May (Mother) are reimagined with something, let's say brand-new looks. (Not going to spoil it for you) Now they desperately want to go back to their old lives.
Now, with your other half, sibling, or friend, you have to play as Cody and May to get out of this pickle!
Gameplay
Simply put, it really takes two! A brilliant wordplay, or a little lazy? Perhaps both, but we’re here for it! Now that we have established that you cannot play this game alone, all the gameplay mechanics are put together with two players in mind. Split-screen gameplay was somewhat forgotten back in 2021, and I was ecstatic to play a couch co-op like we used to. Did It Takes Two deliver? More than I’ve ever expected.
All the tasks are fairly divided between the two characters, which hinders the players from overpowering each other. This prevents your partner from later bragging about who did the best at the end. LOL!. So, all the potential catfights are minimized! However, for all the gamers who prefer a healthy challenge, there are plenty of fun minigames planted throughout the game world in case you want to test your skills or (kick your partner’s ass). It could be a simple snowball fight or a vicious chess game!
The more you progress with the story, the more capable the characters become with different sets of weapons and abilities. You start with a hammer and nails, which, by the way, you can call back with a whistle (a little God of War action right there, wink!), but soon you'll gain shrinking powers, the ability to walk on walls, a singing voice and magnets that’ll help you and your partner progress through the levels. Rest assured that these are just a smidgen of the abilities and weapons you’re going to see. But these are only granted for one chapter, so have fun while they last.
Then, there are the boss battles, oh, the boss battles. Dare I say, they are to die for? These boss fights are sending me straight to the good ol' days when we had to strategize every move without mindlessly hitting things, assuming something would happen.
It Takes Two is so dynamic that it changes its view multiple times, catching players off guard. Sometimes, it’s a full-blown side-scrolling platformer, and the next minute, the game transforms itself into Diablo with three special powers handed to each player when you least expect it, flipping the genre upside down. It goes without saying that this game’s creativity is off the charts, and my smile when I was playing this game can attest to that.
Graphics and Animation
They take a subtle approach to the game's graphics and animation, which perfectly fits the game's childlike, vivid theme. The two protagonists are designed to be wooden and clay-like, and the atmosphere is also created with low-poly graphics in mind.
Environments and Puzzles
Undoubtedly, It Takes Two offers you some of the most balanced and strategic puzzles you've ever laid eyes on in a game. They are incredibly well thought out to the point that I almost felt like they'd spent all the good puzzles in the first half of the game, so they'd run out of ideas soon. But, not to my surprise, they maintain their creativity till the very end. The game designers might have been woohooing in the studio, “We’re on a roll!”
As for the environments, most of them are pretty large compared to the protagonists. So, if you want to feel like an ant, look no further. Every chapter has something new to bring you, and the environments are perfectly paired up with the theme, whether it's a medieval setup or a snow land that you want to live forever in. Again, a round of applause to the artists of It Takes Two, who went the extra mile to make the atmosphere a lovely, bright-colored, relatable, and sensible piece of art that will stand the test of time.
Is It Takes Two still playable in 2026?
Is this even a question? What more can I say than, Way to go, Hazelight Studios! The plot, gameplay, environments, graphics, puzzles, and music are just phenomenal. I’ve played it with my husband and once again with my brother, and as I’m updating this old review, I’m planning to play it once again after five years of its release. If you still haven’t played it with your partner, what are you waiting for? To play it in 2027? That is, my friend, a mistake.
It Takes Two: 10/10 A Must Play
