In 2021, a colorful co-op platformer took the world by surprise when it won Game of the Year at The Game Awards — and it deserved it. That game is It Takes Two, and it’s a far cry from the monumental epics that we’re used to seeing wrack up all the awards, but it’s a testament to how vibrantly creative of a game it actually is. It Takes Two is one of the most delightful platformers ever created, a masterpiece of cooperative play that packs in an astounding amount of variety and heart. Grab and friend and get ready for a cozy winter weekend of fun, as It Takes Two is finally free with PlayStation Plus.
It Takes Two stars a married couple named Cody and May, who are on the rocks and planning a divorce. Unfortunately, the couple has a daughter named Rose who takes the changes hard and brings her hand-made dolls, fashioned after her parents, into the barn to “repair” their relationship. One unexpected twist of magic later, Cody and May find themselves trapped in the doll’s bodies. An anthropomorphic therapy book named Dr. Hakim tells the couple they need to try and repair their relationship to reach Rose, and get their human forms back. Yeah, it’s a bonkers set-up that is ripe for cooperative gameplay but also has a really heartfelt message at its core about love and forgiveness.
