I have been playing video games for most of my life, and I have spent a good chunk of my career as a journalist investigating the ways they shape us outside of simple hobby time. Games can be an escape, a pressure valve for frustration, and even a tool that helps with depression and anxiety. But until It Takes Two, I had never had a game reach into my personal life and rearrange the furniture. In 2026, years after its release, I can still say that this cooperative adventure did something no other game has done for me: it helped me reconnect with my partner when our marriage was struggling.
I was 28 when I first played it. My partner and I had just had a serious conversation about potentially being at the end of the line. We both decided to recommit ourselves to doing everything in our power to mend the relationship. A huge part of that was choosing to be more intentional with our time and finding ways to bond. We both enjoy gaming, and after seeing the rave reviews for It Takes Two, we decided to give it a chance together. I did not expect a game about a crumbling marriage to become a mirror, but that is exactly what happened.
A Story That Mirrors Real Struggles
For those who do not know, It Takes Two is a co-op game centered around a married couple, May and Cody. Right at the beginning, they decide they should get a divorce. Cody is fed up with May's absence due to her job, and May feels incredibly under-appreciated for everything she does. As adults playing the game, we know without it needing to be said that there are a million and one untold struggles and problems that have likely led to this conclusion too. After hearing this news, their daughter, Rose, makes a wish while holding two dolls crafted in the image of her parents. She wishes they would stay together and be happy. That leads to a magical event in which May and Cody wake up as these dolls. They are then forced to work together to transform back into their human bodies.
The story is playful, but its emotional core is sharp. May and Cody bicker, misunderstand each other, and slowly remember why they fell in love. My partner and I felt that. We saw our own patterns in their arguments. We recognized the exhaustion that comes from feeling unseen. And because we were controlling these characters together, we could not simply watch from the couch. We had to participate.
The Brilliant Design That Forces Connection
The most brilliant feature of this game is that you absolutely cannot progress without both players being involved. It quite literally takes two people to accomplish most of the tasks and win the boss battles. After trying to watch shows together or play other co-op games and discouragingly still feeling disconnected, It Takes Two forced my partner and I to constantly communicate and come up with ideas together for how to progress. The overarching story was a bonus hit in the feels, but it is really the structure of the game design that caused us to bond so much while playing.
I found myself excited and giving compliments when we accomplished a task. We laughed together when we died with the most ridiculously misaimed jumps. There was a general lifting of my mood that I had not felt in such a long time. It Takes Two is a brilliant game that causes lasting, positive impact on lives, even after you put the controllers down. That makes it one of the most phenomenal games out there.
Here is a quick breakdown of what made it work for us:
| Game Element | Real-Life Effect |
|---|---|
| Forced cooperation | We had to talk instead of retreating into silence |
| Shared goals | We celebrated small wins together |
| Silly failures | We laughed at mistakes instead of blaming each other |
| Emotional story | We saw our own relationship reflected back |
| No single-player option | Neither of us could carry the whole burden alone |
Why It Still Matters in 2026
It is 2026 now, and It Takes Two is no longer the newest co-op game on the block. Yet its reputation has only grown. In an era of massive live-service worlds and endless solo campaigns, its commitment to two-player cooperation feels almost radical. You cannot grind through it alone. You cannot let one person do all the work. You have to show up for each other, laugh at the chaos, and solve problems as a team. That is a lesson many couples, friends, and families need.
I know it did not market itself as a therapy game for couples, but that is absolutely what it turned into for me. I can only assume there are countless people out there who would benefit from playing this game with a special someone as well. If you have been skeptical that video games can change lives, take it from someone who was in a struggling marriage and played It Takes Two with my partner. They can. Sometimes, a game is more than a game. Sometimes, it is a bridge back to each other. 🎮❤️