How Long to 100% Complete It Takes Two: A Data-Driven Evaluation
It Takes Two takes the average player 13 hours and 42 minutes to complete the main story, and 21 hours and 18 minutes for full completion including all side quests, challenges, and secrets.
Across seven delightfully varied chapters filled with inventive co-op mechanics, this purely collaborative adventure provides great entertainment value without overstaying its welcome. While light on postgame content, the 10-15 hour story campaign hits the sweet spot for its genre.
Chapter Breakdown: Locations, Story, and Playtime
It Takes Two features seven chapters set in fantastical locales, each lasting 1-3 hours:
Chapter 1: Once Upon a Time
This introductory chapter set in a cozy family house tutorializes core mechanics like dashing, rail grinding, and traversing environments synced to music. It establishes the emotional struggle of parents Cody and May on the verge of divorce.
Playtime: 1-2 hours
Chapter 2: Fever
Shrinking down Fantastic Voyage-style, Cody and May journey inside the body of their daughter Rose to retrieve a magical tear and cure her fever. The setting allows for creative platforming sequences and boss battles against living embodiments of illness and disease.
Playtime: 1-2 hours
Chapter 3: Snowglobe
Trapped in an idyllic snowglobe, Cody and May scale a treacherous mountain peak utilizing magnets with opposing polarities. Stunning set pieces combined with cooperative gameplay make this a fan favorite chapter.
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Chapter 4: The Garden
Overgrown insects have infested what was once Cody and May‘s pride and joy – their backyard garden. This chapter has some of the most intense action including a screen-filling boss fight against an aggressive wasp.
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Chapter 5: The Tree
Ascending an ancient tree, Cody and May walk down memory lane while working through marital problems. Nostalgic moments and self-reflection complement solid platforming challenges.
Playtime: 1-2 hours
Chapter 6: Pillow Fort
What child doesn‘t love an elaborate pillow fort? Cody and May‘s daughter Rose is no different. This chapter brings out the childlike sense of fun and imagination.
Playtime: 1-2 hours
Chapter 7: Space Station
In the epic climax, Cody and May infiltrate the lair of Dr. Hakim – the charismatic self-help guru who transformed them into dolls. Low gravity environments lead to some of the game‘s most creative mechanics.
Playtime: 2-3 hours
Add up the chapter estimates and you get a total story playtime of 10-15 hours.
Playtime Variation Across Players
According to completion time data for It Takes Two‘s main story from HowLongToBeat, playtimes range from as low as <7 hours for speedrunners to over 20 hours for highly thorough players:
We see the majority of players finish between 10-17 hours, with the average at 13 hours 42 minutes.
Playtime depends most heavily on:
- Playstyle: Rushing vs completionist
- Co-op skill: Partner competence and teamwork
- Exploration: Discovering optional secrets/puzzles
- Failures: Number of deaths and retries
According to Hazelight Studios, they balanced It Takes Two‘s difficulty to avoid excessive frustration:
"We iterated a lot on difficulty…We wanted players to feel smart, not stupid."
Let‘s compare It Takes Two‘s playtime to other acclaimed co-op games:
| Game | Main Story | Completionist |
|---|---|---|
| It Takes Two | 13h 42m | 21h 18m |
| A Way Out | 6-8 hours | 8-10 hours |
| Overcooked 1 & 2 | 4-7 hours | 12-15 hours |
| Portal 2 Co-op | 4-8 hours | 6-10 hours |
It Takes Two hits a nice sweet spot – substantially longer than simpler co-op fare like Overcooked or Portal 2, but not an overwhelming 100+ hour saga either.
The variation in playstyles is part of what makes It Takes Two so widely appealing. Veteran gamers can blaze through in 10 hours, while less experienced players can enjoy a more relaxed 15-20 hour playthrough.
7 Pro Tips to Finish It Takes Two Faster
For players short on time looking to minimize playtime for It Takes Two, here are 7 tips and tricks:
- Ignore collectibles – Cuts 1-2 hours
- Skip cutscenes – Saves 30+ minutes
- Use assist options (infinite lives) – Reduces failures
- Study guides for solutions – Less trial-and-error
- Communicate constantly – Enhances coordination
- Take breaks – Maintains focus
- Use speedrun strats – Optimized routing/moves
However, first-time players should avoid rushing and just enjoy the charming journey.
Postgame and Replay Value
Unfortunately, It Takes Two lacks substantial postgame content. There is no New Game Plus or unlocked difficulty modes. And the linear, story-driven nature means virtually no replay value either.
However, excellent gameplay combined with varied locales and mechanics provide more than enough incentive for a single playthrough. Additional DLC chapters could certainly add incentive for replays down the line as well.
Scoring It Takes Two‘s Game Length
Using a 1-10 scale across five scoring criteria, here is a holistic evaluation of It Takes Two‘s game length:
| Criteria | Score |
|---|---|
| Main story playtime | 8/10 |
| Completionist playtime | 7/10 |
| Replay value | 5/10 |
| Postgame content | 3/10 |
| Playtime variation | 9/10 |
| Total | 7.6/10 |
The median 15 hour playtime for main progression hits the ideal sweet spot for a linear co-op experience. However, almost no replayability content holds back the overall score.
So while It Takes Two ranks extremely highly as a creative and enjoyable co-op journey, it does not offer the longest lasting or most repayable experience.
Gamers with limited budgets and time should find the 10-15 hour adventure provides excellent value at full price. Meanwhile, patient players can wait for sales to maximize bang for their buck.
The Verdict? A Must-Play Co-Op Gem
For those yet to experience It Takes Two‘s delightful world, memorable characters, and seemingly endless gameplay ideas, the reasonable 10-15 hour playtime makes it easy to recommend.
While the lack of postgame hurts replay value, almost nothing matches Its Takes Two‘s moment-to-moment enjoyment and charm in the co-op genre.
This imaginative platformer truly takes you on a magical journey alongside a friend or loved one. And the reasonable game length means seeing through to the emotional finale is no herculean task, but a wonderful excuse to spend quality time together.
So assemble your player 2, ready some snacks, and enjoy this Co-op Game of the Year winner. Just don‘t be surprised if "one more try!" turns 10 hours into 15!
