It Takes Two

The majority of critics found the story of It Takes Two to be very good, with many highlighting its unique premise and emotional depth. Critics such as Gfinity and PlayStation LifeStyle praised the game for its mature approach to themes of separation and relationships, with nuanced storytelling that captures the complexities of marriage and parenting. The narrative was commended for its heartfelt exploration of a couple on the verge of divorce, transformed into dolls and forced to collaborate to mend their relationship, as noted by Digital Trends and Game Rant. The charming and whimsical storytelling, reminiscent of a Pixar movie, resonated well with reviewers like Trusted Reviews and Checkpoint Gaming, who appreciated the emotional journey and clever gameplay tropes. On the downside, some critics expressed concerns about the execution and consistency of the story in It Takes Two. Press Start Australia and Telegraph criticized the narrative for feeling forced, lacking organic development, and containing tonal inconsistencies. The Guardian and COGconnected found the plot to be mawkish, unsubtle, and lacking in character growth, while Worth Playing mentioned heavy-handed moments and a rushed ending. TheSixthAxis pointed out that the constant bickering and selfishness of the main characters could make it challenging for players to root for them, impacting the overall engagement with the story. Overall, the consensus among critics is that It Takes Two delivers a compelling and emotionally resonant story that tackles themes of love, separation, and reconciliation in a creative and engaging manner. While some reviewers had reservations about certain aspects of the storytelling, the majority appreciated the game's unique premise, well-developed characters, and the way it blends humor with more serious moments. The narrative's ability to explore the complexities of relationships within a fantastical setting was widely praised, making It Takes Two a standout title in terms of storytelling in the gaming landscape.

The majority of critics praised the gameplay of It Takes Two, highlighting its creativity, variety, and emphasis on cooperative play. Critics like Gfinity, Game Informer, and Worth Playing commended the game for its fluid mechanics and diverse range of gameplay genres, including co-op puzzle-solving, shooting sections, and boss battles. The innovative use of mechanics and the need for strong teamwork and communication between players were consistently highlighted by reviewers such as Shacknews, GamesRadar+, and The Sydney Morning Herald. The game's ability to constantly introduce new mechanics and challenges, as noted by Game Rant and Trusted Reviews, kept the experience fresh and engaging throughout. While the overall sentiment towards It Takes Two's gameplay was overwhelmingly positive, some critics did mention a few downsides. TheXboxHub pointed out that some boss battles felt out of place, impacting the overall flow of the game. Additionally, Screen Rant highlighted that while the gameplay mechanics were varied and well-executed, there was a cohesive feel to the different genres, suggesting a lack of seamless integration between them. These criticisms, however, were minor in comparison to the widespread acclaim for the game's innovative gameplay mechanics and cooperative elements. In conclusion, the consensus among critics is that It Takes Two delivers an exceptional gameplay experience that stands out for its creativity, variety, and emphasis on cooperative play. Critics like Guardian, Game Revolution, and Digital Trends praised the game for its engaging puzzles, unique abilities for each character, and constantly evolving mechanics. The game's ability to require teamwork, communication, and collaboration between players was a key highlight, with many reviewers noting the seamless flow of mechanics and the rewarding challenges presented. Overall, It Takes Two's gameplay was widely regarded as a standout feature, showcasing the potential for innovative and immersive cooperative gameplay in the gaming industry.

The majority of critics praised the graphics and visual design of It Takes Two, highlighting its stunning and imaginative environments. Critics like Pure Xbox and AusGamers commended the game for its detailed and magical worlds, with Pure Xbox describing the visual design as 'magical' and AusGamers noting the Pixar-quality visuals that bring the characters and locations to life in a vibrant animated tale. The game was lauded for its diverse and creative environments, such as a bee hive, a playroom, a shed, and a snowglobe, as mentioned by critics like Worth Playing and Twinfinite. The game's use of everyday objects to create interactive and imaginative worlds, as noted by Pocket Gamer UK and TheXboxHub, added to its charm and appeal. However, some critics did point out limitations in the graphics, particularly on the Nintendo Switch version. GamingTrend and Screen Rant noted texture loading issues and less detailed visuals on the Switch, while CGMagazine and Multiplayer.it mentioned visual concessions on the Switch in terms of resolution and framerate. Despite these drawbacks, critics like GameSpew highlighted that the game still managed to impress on the Switch, showcasing polished and ever-changing levels that were visually stunning. Overall, the consensus among critics is overwhelmingly positive regarding the graphics and visual design of It Takes Two. The game was praised for its gorgeous, vibrant, and diverse environments that enhanced the gameplay experience. Critics appreciated the attention to detail, imaginative world design, and stunning visuals that rivaled top-tier games. The game's visuals were likened to a Pixar production, with colorful and imaginative visuals that added to the charm and immersion of the game. With standout lighting, smooth animations, and creative level design, It Takes Two succeeded in creating a visually appealing and engaging experience for players across different platforms.

The majority of critics unanimously praised the sound design and music of It Takes Two, with many highlighting the exceptional quality of the soundtrack and voice acting. Carole Quintaine commended the magical soundtrack that perfectly complemented the gameplay, especially during boss battles, which added a nostalgic touch to the overall experience. GameByte and GameSpew both appreciated the wonderful sound design and music, noting how the music enhanced different sections of the game and the lively soundtrack contributed to the overall immersive experience. WellPlayed also highlighted the standout chapters centered around music and energetic voice acting, showcasing how the soundtrack tied the game together seamlessly. Despite the overwhelmingly positive feedback, there were a few criticisms regarding the character of Dr. Hakim's voice acting, with GameSpot on PS4 and Xbox Series X mentioning that it came across as loud, stereotypical, and offensive. Trusted Reviews pointed out occasional inconsistencies in voice acting quality, particularly with Rose's dialogue, which slightly detracted from the otherwise stellar performances. However, these negative aspects were minor in comparison to the overall positive reception towards the sound design and music of It Takes Two. In conclusion, the general consensus among critics is that It Takes Two excels in its sound design and music, with the majority of reviewers praising the game for its exceptional voice acting, diverse soundtrack, and how the music perfectly complements the gameplay. Worth Playing on PS5 and PS4 noted the poignant soundtrack that elicited positive emotions, while Gaming Nexus appreciated the distinct and thematically appropriate soundtracks for each level. Despite some minor criticisms towards specific voice acting performances, the overall sentiment towards the sound design and music of It Takes Two remains overwhelmingly positive, enhancing the overall audio-visual experience and contributing to the game's immersive and engaging nature.

The voice acting in "It Takes Two" has received a mix of positive and negative feedback from critics. Many reviewers praised the voice performances of the main characters, Cody and May, highlighting their likability, emotional depth, and the chemistry they bring to the story. Critics like PlayStation LifeStyle and Trusted Reviews specifically commended the voice actors for Cody, May, and Dr. Hakim for delivering fantastic performances that enhanced the authenticity and immersive experience of the game. Game Rant and Worth Playing also noted that the stellar voice work contributed to the success of the story and characters, with well-executed emotions and complexities. On the other hand, some critics pointed out certain drawbacks in the voice acting of "It Takes Two." Video Chums mentioned that the characters occasionally came off as irritating due to their silly dialogue and cutscenes. Additionally, Pure Xbox felt that the voice acting and dialogue were so-so, with characters sometimes feeling forced and exaggerated in their excitement. ZTGD highlighted an instance where the voice of the daughter sounded like an adult playing a child, which was jarring compared to the other performances. These criticisms indicate that while the majority of the voice acting was well-received, there were instances where the delivery may have fallen short or felt out of place. Overall, the consensus among critics leans towards positive feedback on the voice acting in "It Takes Two." The majority of reviewers appreciated the energy, believability, and emotional depth brought by the voice actors, particularly for the main characters. GameSpot, VG247, and Xbox Achievements all praised the energetic and well-done voice acting, while God is a Geek highlighted the beautiful acting by the main characters. Despite some criticisms regarding occasional clunky dialogue or forced performances, the overall sentiment suggests that the voice acting played a significant role in enhancing the narrative, character development, and immersive experience of the game.

In terms of technical performance on the PS5, reviewers generally praised It Takes Two for its vibrant visuals, stable frame rates, and smooth gameplay experience. Carole Quintaine highlighted the impeccable technical performance on the PS5, while Trusted Reviews and Worth Playing commended the solid stability and performance throughout the game. Additionally, Game Revolution and WellPlayed appreciated the smooth 60 FPS and fluid performance on next-gen consoles. However, some critics noted occasional issues such as character models clipping through objects (PlayStation Universe) and instances where the character kept running without input (Video Chums). Furthermore, the forced split-screen perspective (Game Revolution) and occasional hindrance with the camera (WellPlayed) were mentioned as areas for improvement on the PS5 version of the game. On the Nintendo Switch, reviewers acknowledged some compromises in resolution and framerate, but overall, the game was deemed playable with minimal negative impact on the gameplay experience. Critics like Pocket Gamer UK and Pocket Tactics highlighted the beautiful environments and responsive controller input on the Switch. While Multiplayer.it and CGMagazine mentioned longer loading times and visual cutbacks, respectively, they did not significantly detract from the overall performance. Additionally, GamingTrend noted some minor glitches and desyncs but stated that they did not negatively affect gameplay. Overall, the consensus for the Nintendo Switch version of It Takes Two was that it offered a solid and stable performance, albeit with some technical limitations compared to more powerful platforms. For the Xbox Series X, GameSkinny praised the game's optimization for new-gen consoles, running smoothly even in split-screen mode. Xbox Achievements also noted the absence of glitches or technical issues on the Xbox Series X. The positive feedback from these critics indicates that the game delivers a high-performance experience on Microsoft's latest console. However, it's worth noting that there were no specific negatives mentioned for the Xbox Series X version, suggesting that the technical performance was generally well-received across the board. Overall, the consensus among critics is that It Takes Two delivers a technically impressive experience across multiple gaming platforms. While each platform had its strengths and weaknesses, such as the vibrant visuals and stable performance on the PS5, the compromises in resolution and framerate on the Nintendo Switch, and the optimized performance on the Xbox Series X, the game generally maintained a high level of technical polish. Despite some minor issues like occasional glitches and design choices impacting the gameplay experience on certain platforms, the overall sentiment is positive, with reviewers appreciating the game's technical achievements and engaging gameplay mechanics.

The opinions of the critics regarding the replay value of It Takes Two are overwhelmingly positive. Many reviewers highlighted the game's diverse range of mini-games, competitive experiences, and hidden content as major contributors to its replayability. Critics like Game Revolution and GameByte praised the game for offering over 20 mini-games, providing players with additional content and opportunities for replay with a co-op partner. The ability to track down trophies, the frequent role changes, and the fresh co-op play experience were also mentioned by GameByte as factors that reduce repetitiveness and enhance replay value. On the other hand, some critics pointed out potential drawbacks related to the replay value of It Takes Two. Noisy Pixel highlighted that the main narrative might be painful for those who can relate to drifting apart in relationships, potentially limiting the desire for repeated playthroughs. Additionally, GAMINGbible mentioned that some levels may feel tedious and never-ending, which could affect the overall replayability of the game for certain players. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that It Takes Two offers substantial replay value through its varied gameplay mechanics, mini-games, co-op experience, and hidden content. Trusted Reviews emphasized the game's ability to encourage players to revisit levels and mini-games for added longevity, enhancing the overall value of the game. GameSpot's positive assessment of the constantly changing mechanics, cooperative gameplay, and variety of activities contributing to a satisfying experience for players further supports the general sentiment that It Takes Two excels in providing ample replay value. The game's emphasis on competitive mini-games, unique abilities for each character, and the desire to explore every inch of the world, as noted by TheGamer, also contribute to its high replayability factor.