5/5 ★ – birdiepeach's review of It Takes Two.

Forgive me if this review is going to be all over the place, but this game made my emotions go wild. I really don't known where to start, my goodness.  I feel like platforming is a genre that is in a similar boat to animation in the west, in which that people just see it as a genre for kids.  There have been a few platformers geared towards older audiences, but this one is a huge milestone for the genre in terms of mature-themed storytelling  It's such a splendid surprise that this won GOTY in 2021, and it is very well deserved. There is never a single-point in this game where I would say the story "stunts" (if that makes any sense); It's a wild, zany, emotional adventure throughout the game.  By the time we reached the grand finale, I was just internally screaming and crying at how amazing the whole build up is. All the characters are incredibly well written.  May's and Cody's personalities are balanced by positive traits and flaws.  They start as a broken couple that blame the other for the issues in their lives, and that makes them very believable characters.  Additionally, I should highlight the feelings of their daughter Rose. The fact that she blames herself that her parents can't stand eachother and want a divorce is a real thing that some children experience. I think this was handled very well Metaphors(?) in this game is subtle, but great.  Okay, I'll explain as best as I can without spoiling: In the first half, the story heavily focuses on May and Cody's broken relationship and how that affects Rose. These areas address how they're both a problem, but it doesn't click in their head yet. They are so focused on themselves, wanting to get back into their own bodies and go through with the divorce. The second half of the game is when they start understanding where eachother is coming from. They start learning why they lost a part of themselves in theses areas that they explore in. This is the best co-op game since Portal 2's co-op mode. It practically reinvented it. It's designed solely for multiplayer in mind, meaning you can only play with another person. There's a new mechanic in each level, so the gameplay never feels like it goes stale. Sometimes there are levels where P1 can only traverse a specific area and P2 will have to assist them, and vice versa. I hope I didn't leave anything else out. Besides that, Dr. Hakim is a character that annoys you at first and you grow to love later on. Soundtrack is also great, especially the main theme. You hear it in the main menu, but it will hit you differently once you reach the end of the game. Seriously, the last time I think I've been this in love about a game was Bioshock 1, I think? It Takes Two is a perfect 10/10 for me and I think it managed to become my 2nd or 3rd favourite game of all time. Somewhere in top 5. I part of me was sad to finish it, because I am left wanting more. However, I don't think this is a game that necessarily needs a sequel. It's satisfying enough.