[No spoilers] 10 things you need to know before you play It Takes Two, a masterpiece that will make you smile

The full-length co-op action game "It Takes Two" (official site) released by EA in March 2021. Nearly a month has passed since its release, and it has been well received by media and players, and sales have surpassed 1 million copies. It can be said that IGN JAPAN's review, "A work that is excellent enough to enter the Game of the Year in 2021" is realistic both in name and reality.

I am also one of the players who was surprised and fascinated by the luxurious and careful construction of this work. I sincerely hope that people who haven't played it yet should do so. I want more people to play.

However. Even if this work deserves to be called a "masterpiece", there are some things you should know before playing. So in this article, I'm going to list 10 important points for anyone thinking about playing It Takes Two.

In addition, I avoided mentioning the story. No spoilers.

1. It Takes Two is funny

Most importantly. Yes, this work is interesting. The gimmicks that appear one after another, the scenes that switch without holding back, the beautiful visuals, and the pleasant feel of the action. It is full of fun that can be described as a "first-class product".

As a genre, I felt that 3D action games such as "Super Mario Odyssey" and "ASTRO BOT RESCUE MISSION" that make full use of jumps to move forward are the closest, but there are shooter-like parts and vehicles. There are parts, puzzles, and even very simple but fighting game-like parts, and the variation in gameplay is excellent. It's a modern game, and the scene changes with cutscenes solve the problem of "it's annoying to go back to the beginning of the stage to advance", and the tempo is very good.

2. There is no Nintendo Switch version

This work is for PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X/PC. Unfortunately, it is not playable on the Nintendo Switch. The visuals are quite rich, so even if the Nintendo Switch version were to come out, it would be a long way off.

3. Two players are essential from start to finish

In this work, two players cooperate to advance the game. Two people can actually play side by side offline, or they can play co-op online via the internet. Most of the game progresses in the form of a split screen (also compatible with 32:9 ultra-wide monitors). The split format can be vertical or horizontal, but it can also be a single screen depending on the scene. And that itself is conscious of the ease of play, and it also plays a role in the speed of the game.

It might be possible for a single person to do it, but I can see it being extremely difficult, and the experience is no longer as interesting as it was intended to be.

4. Quite realistic insects, frogs, and spiders appear

The main character of this work is a human whose body has become smaller for some reason. With a small body like Issunboshi or Thumbelina, he ventures into (relatively) ridiculously large houses and gardens. That's why insects, frogs, and spiders come out naturally. This has a relatively realistic shape, color, and texture, and I think that it is quite bearable for people who are not good at such things. As a reference, the game image is also posted, so please check the link only when you want to check it.

They don't appear throughout the story, and they don't appear a lot. There are also cute animals, but those who are not good at it will need to be prepared.

5. It takes about 15 hours to clear

It takes about 15 hours to clear, though not as much as an RPG. It's not an open world, and there aren't many scenes where you get lost, but it's just because there are so many different scenes that it takes so long. Therefore, it is desirable to take a certain amount of time. It's impossible to play it all in one night, so it's perfect for consecutive holidays like Golden Week.

6. It's not difficult, but it's not a very easy game

Maybe you're reading the "easy" atmosphere about this game. However, in reality, there are many scenes where a "game-like game" is required. Aside from the slow-paced puzzles, the real-time action can be a struggle for those who aren't big gamers.

There are many scenes where two people operate in time and deal with scaffolding disappearing one after another. Of course, this doesn't mean that people who aren't used to games, or people like that shouldn't play games together. Working hard is also part of the fun. Also, even in boss fights, if one player survives, the game won't end (and can be revived indefinitely), so with a little patience and cooperation, you'll be fine.

7. Partners are irreplaceable

Actually, this boils down to most of the items I've listed so far.

You should avoid changing another player, the so-called partner, in the middle of this work as much as possible. We take on challenges in situations where we don't know anything about each other, sometimes worry together, then suffer together, and always pave the way together. Because I think that is the charm of this work. In other words, you need to get along well enough to be able to spend 15 hours together, be comfortable with bugs and frogs, and be able to put up with the fact that it's not a super easy game. This game is truly a luxury game. I don't think players would complain about asking for that much luxury.

However, this is only my feeling, and as an actual system, it is completely acceptable to change partners midway through. You can invite another partner at no additional cost, and you can switch partners and resume from the middle.

8. Only one person needs to have the software

"It Takes Two" requires two-player co-op, but you don't need to buy two. Of course, when playing offline, it's the same when playing online. When playing online, the player who does not have it can download the free Friend Pass (Steam or Origin for PS4 and PS5/Xbox One and Xbox Series X/PC) from the player who has it. It's OK if you invite me.

9. Cross-play is not supported

Since this work does not support cross-play, for example, a PS4 version player and a PC version player cannot play together. . However, you can play across generations of the same brand, such as PS4 and PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X.

A PS Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription is required to play online.

10. How to play at a great price

The PS4/PS5 version costs 4,300 yen (including tax), so it's not a particularly cheap game (although it's not expensive either). I myself was a bit puzzled by this price before playing. Even so, let me emphasize again that it was a price setting that I will not regret as a result.

If you and your partner player both play games on Xbox or PC, you can access it from the subscription service Xbox Game Pass (from 850 yen per month). It can also be accessed from EA Play (518 yen per month).

Here are my thoughts on 10 things you should know before playing It Takes Two. From now on, I would like to conclude by writing a little bit of "Information related to Joseph Fares that you may enjoy if you know it, although you don't have to know it."

Added (21/11/04)

Added about access from Xbox Game Pass.