It Takes Two is a game where most players went in not knowing what to expect outside of glowing ratings. No expectations often help bring a story to life, giving you the best chance to get taken by surprise at every turn. However, being completely unprepared can also lead to some serious stumbles along the way, running into every obstacle and dead-end the game has to offer.

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Knowing what to avoid and discovering small tweaks that make your game life easier can really elevate the experience, taking away the slow moments and getting to the action. That doesn't mean you'll have an easy walk through the adventure but you can make sure you're as prepared as possible. In a game with so many twists and turns, only the well equipped can get the most out of It Takes Two's captivating story.

7 There's A Variety Of Gameplay

from racing to swinging

Most recent co-op games have a level of rigidity to them, turning a full-length game stale if you're not playing with a veteran. Luckily, It Takes Two mixes up the gameplay so much that you'll have a hard time finding a spot to get bored, throwing out different genres of gaming one after another until you find yourself invested in the characters.

From racing to arcade shooter, there's something for every style of gamer, especially ones that get tired of strict mechanics. The variety helps the pacing of the game out so much, even if you only play for a short while you feel like you've played so much of the game. Providing such a content-rich experience is why the game was so well received, immersing you deeper into the story as you're distracted by gameplay.

6 Learning The Best Jump

leaping through the air

One of the things that stands out most about the movement mechanics is the jumping, throwing your play doll body in the air with surprising agility. Moving around through the enlarged world feels amazing, extending double jumps while rocketing over giant hurdles is the best way to get around. You can even jump off flat walls in SpiderMan like manoeuvres that put most Marvel characters to shame, especially with how the couple looks.

The main goal to extend the jumps as far out as possible is keeping your momentum, a task only achieved through specific techniques. One lets you jump way past the original limit by crouching just before you leap, sending you into a flip that retains all speed and lets you dash across any gap. The time you can save with extended dash and jump arch strategies can be huge, stretched gaps usually require some serious effort to get over.

5 Using Colors To Direct You

mingame

It Takes Two isn't an open-world game by any stretch but it can be easy to get a little dazed and confused on your way through the environment, often finding yourself in front of multiple choices that require guess and check. Knowing the game's color coordination system can help simplify things, saving you a lot of headaches in the process.

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Using yellow to highlight the path to your next goal, you'll see yellow levers, buttons, and arrows guiding your way if you know what to look for. Green and Red are also warnings and invitations, the red meaning bad and green meaning good. If you know these simple signals it can make getting through fast a lot easier, but you won't always have a color to lead you to safety.

4 Finding The Boss's Weakness

a wide shot of May and Cody facing the vacuum cleaner boss who is towering over them with its tube arms dangling above

Being play dolls, you don't exactly have damaging weapons that can take out the likes of a giant talking baboon, and given that this is a puzzle game, you'll have to get creative. In most cases you and your teammate are going to be much faster than the enemy, dodging their massive attacks until you get the opportunity to use those attacking pieces against them.

Depending on the boss, one of you will have to get up close and personal to deliver real damage, opening you up for some serious counterattacks. The person you feel most comfortable sending into the fire should take care of close combat, leaving the other to distract or stun the boss from afar. Remember, don't approach any boss until they enter a rest period or your teammate will have to pry you off the ground.

3 Survival Teamwork

nailed in the back

A saving grace for those with a rookie partner, you can resurrect your partner if they go down to a stray attack. If you're the only one standing, it does put extra pressure on you because when both are taken out you have to start all over again. Seeing as couples are the target audience, it's a great way to prevent some collateral arguments from escaping into the real world.

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It also means you don't want to be caught too far away in a boss fight, sticking together is always the safest way. Bosses will try and split you up with a variety of attacks, but as long as you return to formation as soon as you are safe things will be a lot easier.

2 Expect The Unexpected

marriage counsel

While it's not unheard of, It Takes Two does like to pull the rug out from underneath you, leading you up to a climax before sidetracking you in a major way.

You'll be fighting through some of the most creative levels in recent years, but be prepared for the unexpected. It's part of what keeps things exciting the entire way through the story, pushing and pulling the two characters through the plot until you can't be sure what's coming next.

1 A Rollercoaster Of Emotions

therapy sessions

If you paid attention to the promo's then you'll know it's a game about couples, but what you didn't know was the semi-therapeutic theme that's weaved throughout the journey. Quickly cycling through the emotional spectrum, you can go from joking around to digging into marital issues at breakneck speeds.

Sometimes it will be subtle in its approach while other times it will be a punch in the gut, never revealing a consistent pace and letting you predict the next step. Most of the nitty-gritty is more uncomfortable than emotional but occasionally a pivotal moment will sneak up on you, for better or worse. Part of It Takes Two's charm is the serious plot placed in a magical setting, letting you come up for air after taking you into deep waters.

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