

IT TAKES TWO XBOX ONE SPLIT SCREEN FULL
Super Mario Galaxy features a co-op mode where one player enjoys the full experience of hopping around as the titular Italian plumber, while the other person is a literal cursor designed to clean up his leftovers. In other platformers, co-op often feels tacked-on. No one gets saddled with all the lame stuff while your partner gets the cool things. It Takes Two gives you a compelling incentive to try out each character. By coding these abilities to their personalities, It Takes Two respects that Cody and May are different people, not just cosmetic skins that have little impact on the overall gameplay experience. In one level, Cody receives a cymbal that doubles as a shield while May wields the destructive power of her voice. The mechanic manifests differently depending on if you’re playing as Cody or May.Ĭody is often gifted with more passive and defensive mechanics, while May’s abilities focus on aggression and close combat. Each level typically revolves around a new mechanic that depends on working with your partner. Since Cody and May have distinct personalities, they receive different power-ups.

That dynamic shapes the gameplay in wonderful and unexpected ways. Cody and May’s abode is filled with personal items, which reveal a great deal about the different roles they play in their relationship.

Though rather simple, this setup facilitates a surprisingly in-depth character study. While it might appear like a silly gimmick, it allows you to connect with your co-op partner.Īs three-inch dolls, they can now explore various parts of the house as if they were tiny worlds. This allows an old-school intimacy with the other player - you can literally see the world through their eyes at any given moment. Even if you’re online, It Takes Two is permanently in split-screen mode. Each of you will now occupy half the screen. EA Hazelight Characters define gameplayĪs the game begins, you and your companion choose to play as either Cody or May. Their transformation sets the scene for the co-op adventure. Like all self-help books, this one includes a sprinkle of magic, which transforms the couple into a pair of felt dolls. Rose secretly obtains a relationship self-help book for her parents. Their daughter, Rose, doesn’t take the looming separation well. The story focuses on Cody and May, a couple planning to divorce. It Takes Two distinguishes itself by emphasizing fun and character individuality, providing both of the leads with enough meat to feel like full people. EA Hazelight’s latest respects the genre’s roots while expanding its potential growth. Many 3D platformers made to revive the genre are critical darlings, but they fail to add anything new. There have been several notable attempts to resuscitate the genre with nostalgic games that either ape the classics or tap into an ineffable “Nintendo” feeling. Most 3D platformers are relics of a bygone era.Īlthough the genre once dominated gaming with titles like Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, and Banjo-Kazooie, their popularity began to wane with the seventh console generation as their respective developers matured to projects like Uncharted, Infamous, and Viva-Pinata.
