It Takes Two (2021)
Renaissance of Co-op Gaming and Crowned 2021 Game of the Year
Developed by Hazelight Studios under charismatic auteur Josef Fares and published by EA in 2021, It Takes Two is an exclusively cooperative action-platformer masterclass. Clashing spouses Cody and May, magically transformed into handcrafted dolls by their heartbroken daughter's tears, must mend their fractured relationship guided by the eccentric Book of Love.
Relentless Mechanical Invention
It Takes Two distinguished itself by never allowing a mechanic to outstay its welcome. One level arms one player with nails and the other with a claw hammer; another introduces gravity-flipping boots or time-manipulation dials. This sheer variety transformed marital therapy into an exhilarating tour-de-force of kinetic puzzle-solving.
Friend's Pass Model and Universal Acclaim
By implementing the generous Friend's Pass system allowing a second player to join online completely free from a single purchase, Hazelight maximized accessibility. Selling over 16 million copies, the game swept Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2021, proving that dedicated multiplayer design can triumph on the grandest stage.