After immense success with Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and A Way Out, the at times irreverent, yet always passionate Josef Fares and his team at Hazelight Studios are back exploring another kind of relationship with It Takes Two. Revealed last year at the EA Play Live event, It Takes Two is a co-op game that follows a couple who have been turned into dolls, and will need to contend with the problems in their relationship if they want to change back. With release just around the corner, EA and Hazelight have provided players with a gameplay overview trailer narrated by Fares himself; a look into the vast variety of gameplay mechanics and genres that players can expect and how the game and story intertwine. Check out the full trailer below.
Fares says that It Takes Two is a co-op action adventure platformer that pays particular attention to making sure gameplay speaks to the narrative and story. Sorry single players, this is another one like A Way Out that you’ll need a partner for, whether online or next to you on the couch. You can’t play this solo.
Variation in gameplay is “insane,” according to Fares, and he says that there are no similar scenarios. “Every scene is unique.” He also reiterates that the story will always reflect the gameplay and vice versa. As an example, he shows a moment in a tree, where protagonists May and Cody become part of a war between the squirrels and the wasps (thanks to Cody letting a nest move in). One wields a sap launcher, while the other shoots a match gun, which can create explosions when combined. They’ll need to work together to solve puzzles and defeat the wasps, but the gameplay experience will be different depending on who is playing as which character.
Another uses magnets as gameplay elements to highlight their lost attraction for one another, while yet another gives one the ability to manipulate time and the other the ability to clone themselves, again, a reflection for elements of each character and their relationship to one another.
Highlighting Fares’ recent comments about obsession with replayability being a farce in games (with most players proven to not even complete games, let alone replay them), he also says “instead of having collectibles and other shiny shit, we made the world interactive and fun.” This culminates in minigames to find and compete in throughout the levels. This part is accompanied by a number of quick looks at different levels, minigames, and other details, well worth watching if you’re curious about It Takes Two.
It Takes Two releases on March 26th, 2021 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Hazelight has confirmed that the next-gen versions won’t have any special enhancements outside of basic upgrades to resolution, frame rate, and other technical improvements. Like with A Way Out, players will only need to purchase one copy of the game to play with a friend. Each comes with a Friend Pass that allows you to gift access to a friend you want to play with. It’s set to launch at a $39.99 price both at retail and digitally. PS4 and Xbox One players get a free upgrade to the next-gen version.