Review | It Takes Two

It takes two. For a lot of things, it actually takes two not to be alone, to drink 5 liters of wine more easily, or, for example, to play this game. Josef and his A Way Out shined bright at the time, but there was almost something I just took any played instead. It takes two stumbled at the perfect time and I’m really glad it did, because the co-op hasn’t been that much fun in a long time.

Hazelight Studios knows its job and does it exactly as it should to provide us with the most important thing - entertainment. In front of us is a new platformer with a signature that, with its ingenuity, diversity and show, certainly stoods out from the offer. If you’ve enjoyed games like Crash, love platforming and would like to play something like that with your better half or who you prefer instead - you have nothing to think about, with this title you won’t miss out (OverHypedG and I definitely didn’t). Even in this case when EA is in the background.

Choose your Pokemon. I'm a woman, he's not. The deal was sealed within seconds. Keep in mind that you can revise this at any time, so it's not a problem.

Let's explain some things right away. This is a co-op game where you play with 2 players, and the way it's possible is locally - the old method of 2 controllers and the closest person, or online co-op, but you have to have someone you want to play with because there is no matchmaking , which means you can't invite a random player to play because he also has no friends. It literally takes two.

Once you have passed this first challenge, you can still choose between the PS4 or PS5 version. There is no big difference between the two, expect the game to "look a little better" as the studio stated. Haptics, cards, none of the PS5 features other than higher frame rate stability is not present (the next-gen is said to have simply been announced too late to adapt to the situation). Maybe with some upgrade, but so far so good. Let me immediately say that we did not experience any technical issues, and the fluidity of the performance was impressive. From a technical point of view, I have no significant objections. Models and objects, characters and from the graphics - nice, beautiful, there are beautiful locations that we will talk about later, it is not a gaming revolution, but it is really nice and satisfying.

And I would just like to mention that it is enough for one player to buy the game, the other can play it completely free of charge. There is a "Friends Pass" on the PS Store that you download as a game, and then the one with the purchased game calls you to join, and that's it. The only "problem" is that the person who didn't buy the game can't win trophies, so you know.

Whether you are climbing, preparing for boss fights, drooling over the view or sliding down the moss, one thing is common to all situations - fluency of performance, ingenuity and fun

Perhaps the weakest part of the game, if we go into some depth, would of course be the story. The game is this about two parents who will have to fix their relationship a bit, and they don't know that it will happen in a bit weirder way. They have been magically turned into puppets and now they are servants to their house, garden and the rest of this saga that is in front of you. Surviving everything in front will certainly strengthen their relationship, and on the way you will be hosted by a crazy book, various plush figures, monkeys... A lot of things. And that is OK. The sillyness of the characters, at least most, is what’s great. The book is a great, mustachioed book that invites you to fix your "relationshit", along with its dialect will follow you through the game. Beyond that, we can't talk about an unforgettable experience, but don't mind that as an issue, because everything this journey contains is enough to have fun more than you think.

OverHypedG – Story-wise

"You soon forget the very core of the story, amused by the excellent animations, innovation and mechanics of each chapter. They have their own theme, from winter to summer joys with a multitude of mini-games for both players. Cutscenes are fluid and not intrusive, and after all, if you prefer just playing, you can always skip the scenes."

Level variety is a big plus. The level parts through the segments are very ingenious and will often elicit a smile from you. Everything you go through will offer at least a few glances. Best of all, at one point you hit your partner with a hammer, at another you water the ground so that the other can sprout out of it as a dandelion, at the third you play Diablo from a top-bottom view, at the next you fly somewhere… Something new all the time, something interesting all the time. This game is so diverse, and although it draws clear inspiration from certain platformers, I see it more as a tribute to the greats with its interpretation for all situations, rather than as if it stole from them. Everything that comes your way has its own vision, and I believe you will love some parts more and some less. Ultimately, I feel that the balance of all of the above has been just right and that the game has justified everything it promised for its price. And of course, what it offers.

OverHyped G – Level design, platforming, responsivity

"At no point will you have to think about controls. Although you get different variants of weapons (aids) in each chapter, everything is so simple that you can exclusively be focused on the game itself. If you are one of those who struggle with platformers, the responsiveness of controls is at the level of the best platformers. Moreover, we can even say that it is one of the things that makes the game even more fun."

A couple of examples where we had to be creative. I have mild dizziness from some situations, but it was worth it. Goran 2 is not a cyclist, just to mention. Situations are always tense.

"You hold it, I will put it in..." - So many co-op conversations gone wrong...

There are a bunch of situations, if not all, when you need the other one. A lot of things go into some holes and stick around, so the co-op conversations of Goran and me often sounded pretty weird. It's not our fault, often one holds and the other does what it's supposed to be done.

You play in a split-screen most of the time. This means you always see what your teammate is performing and when he is dead, and vice versa of course. At first it was a little strange to me, and then it soon became clear that it would not be convenient any other way. There are a lot of situations when one player manages something, and the other crosses a certain part of a level with the help from the other. In these situations, it’s good to see what the other player is doing. The controls are quite responsive and natural, but the camera and some sections underwater made me a little angry as usual. Sometimes that camera wanders everywhere and it’s hard to aim where to jump or hit. All in all, the various mechanics that the game provides will be easy to master because they are well executed.

OverHyped G – Split screen, controls, camera...

"At first, the split screen will bother you and may frustrate you a bit, but it soon becomes clear that the split screen is necessary for certain actions and that sometimes you will watch your teammate's split screen more than your own. We have to state that since the game offers a huge variation and different ways of playing, not all the controls were completely optimized. Some controls, such as movement or sometimes targeting, were "weird," and the camera didn't help either."

There are ingenious puzzles that will entertain you, there are those that will do that a little less. With a double jump and acceleration after such a jump, all the sections where you jump somewhere, climb, skate… They are all great. There is always one player having a certain tool and the other something that will go best in pairs. 2 poles of magnets, gel that explodes at the touch of fire, potatoes, tomatoes, lemon. I didn't say anything wrong. The situations and "powers" you will possess will surely make you laugh. Who wouldn’t love to be a potato in the game? Of everything this game offers, I think was the best for me was…. Everything. In short, everything is best for me in the game.

OverHyped G – Riddles, minigames...

"If you focus exclusively on the main tasks of the game and progress through the chapters, you will miss the greatest fun and charm of this game. We have to say that mini-games and certain puzzles were one of the things that stuck in our memories the most. A lot of things are not even possible without teammates. The game is so perfectly conceived for a way of working in pairs, and really represents the next generation in terms of innovation and creativity."

And you know what’s best of all? The game is one, but the directions are always two. You’ll go through a lot of mechanics and roads with just one character, and then it’s still fun to play the other side of the story. I used to be jealous that my partner was a potato, and then in spite of me he turned into a tomato. Playing the game 2 times would be nothing I would not recommend.

How many of these crazy situations are in the game… We played Diablo, played technical death metal, snuck through a sea of ​​moles, rode spiders, played Tekken… So much is happening.

The locations are beautiful and diverse, some a little more open, some more linear. This is still a linear experience, but there is enough space to explore around a bit and jump on the roofs. You may want it because of your taste and to soak up the game to the end, or to find all the hidden situations and mini-games.

OverHyped G – The content...

"All trophies in this game are associated with fun. You need to find a handful of mini-games and activities and just have fun with your partner. Our sincere recommendation - go through the game for the first time without thinking about trophies. The next recommendation would be - swap roles and skip the game one more time. If you are a trophy hunter or simply do not have time - do not worry. After the first transition of the game, all chapters are open to you, and each chapter is divided into sections."

The things you will collect, if we can call them that, are the mentioned mini-games. 25 different challenges that will confront you with your teammate are cool. Some mini-games we didn't understand best, some we played several times (pulling the rope, I'm looking at you!), some we gave up. Great addition if you want to end up looking at the score of who has the highest score. The game makes rivals out of you, beware. A solid experience, but nothing spectacular.

Those hidden things are often the best. Most trophies through play require you to do something in a situation that you might not otherwise do. My favorite was the hidden door that you have to swim to in the boat, and behind it enter a room that only Link enters. It is a pity that we could not use all that green gold to buy us some beers. We could call most of these easter eggs, but I won’t reveal everything to you, find them all by yourself.

Some mini-games were just great. Ask Goran 2 for the final score, all those strong platinums didn't help him to be better in the final result.

With a duration of 10-12h, maybe more if you’re going to die, I think this is one super fun game that will appeal to many, especially those who want a good co-op of this style. It’s not hard, the experienced will catch things very quickly because a lot has already been seen so there shouldn’t be any challenge. Crash and Cupheads are heavier though, so don’t worry too much. One can always save the other, while the other dies and the first doesn’t, it’s not a game over.

OverHyped G – Conclusion...

"If you think that you will have some special advantages if you buy the PS5 version of the game, we can immediately say - you will not. Haptic feedback is very poorly represented here. Of course, there is always the possibility that in the future they will throw out the patch, as stated. The story itself is not very interesting, and since each chapter varies with its themes, activities and the appearance of the landscape - some sections become boring and you can't wait to finish them, while for others you want them to never stop. All in all, one of the most fun co-op games in the last couple of years has prompted us to start the previous game of the same studio right away."

I missed more of the boss fights, it started quite promisingly and at an accelerated pace, but later and in the end it was as if there was no inspiration for a few more boss fights. Too bad, really too bad, because almost every one was a real co-op experience. We had to clearly agree who was doing what because a rabid bull is not easy to tame, metal bees are worse than normal ones and so on.

The voice acting is solid, audio side just as good, but I can’t say right now that I’ve had some extraordinary experience here. I still don't think that's a big minus. When we add it all up, and subtract really little, I think that development studios like this should be supported, they are definitely a bright spot in the gaming world. The game is worth the price it asks for, and may save your marriage or relationship as well. Or just the opposite. There is only one way to find out. Dare for it, and remember that it is possible to buy a game and split the cost!

We want more and we want bigger. Their new games, not what you first thought of.