Finding a proper replacement for Hazelight’s masterpiece is a nightmare. Honestly. You finish that final stage, the credits roll, and you’re left sitting on the couch with your partner or best friend feeling... empty. It’s a specific kind of "post-game depression" because games like It Takes Two aren't just about platforming. They’re about that weird, frantic, sometimes argumentative synergy that only happens when two people are forced to share a screen and a goal.
Most lists will just point you toward any random co-op game. That’s lazy. Playing Call of Duty together isn't the same. Neither is Minecraft. What made Josef Fares’ brainchild so special was the "asymmetric" necessity—the fact that Cody couldn't breathe without May, and vice versa. If you’re looking for that specific magic, you have to look for games that bake cooperation into the very DNA of the mechanics, not just games that happen to have a "Player 2" slot.
The Problem With Most Co-Op Recommendations
The industry is obsessed with "drop-in, drop-out" multiplayer. It’s convenient for developers. It’s easy for players. But it kills the intimacy.
When a game is designed so you can play it alone, the puzzles are inherently diluted. They have to be. If a lever can be pulled by an AI or a single player running back and forth, the "eureka" moment is halved. You don't get that "Okay, on three, you jump and I'll swing" tension. That’s why so many people struggle to find a follow-up. They’re looking for a genre, but what they actually want is a feeling.
Josef Fares, the director of It Takes Two, famously said he’d give $1,000 to anyone who got bored of his game. He didn't have to pay up. Why? Because the gameplay loops changed every twenty minutes. One second you're a third-person shooter, the next you're a dungeon crawler, then a flight sim. Most games pick one lane and stay there. To find a true successor, we have to look for titles that prioritize variety and forced interaction over everything else.
A Way Out: The Spiritual Predecessor
If you haven't played A Way Out, stop reading and go buy it. It’s from the same studio, Hazelight, and it’s essentially the gritty, R-rated older brother of the "It Takes Two" formula.
You play as Leo and Vincent, two convicts breaking out of prison. It’s not whimsical. There are no talking clocks. But the DNA is identical. You’ll find yourself in situations where one person has to distract a guard while the other steals a tool. Or one person rows the boat while the other steers. It’s cinematic. It’s tense.
The ending? It’ll wreck you. Don't look it up. Seriously. The narrative weight in A Way Out proves that this co-op formula works just as well for a serious crime drama as it does for a romantic comedy about shrinking parents.
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Why Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a Weird Case
Technically, Brothers is a single-player game where you control two characters with two different thumbsticks. But if you sit close enough to someone, you can each take one half of the controller. It’s janky. It’s awkward. And yet, it’s one of the most profound bonding experiences you can have in gaming.
It was Fares’ first big hit. It uses gameplay to tell a story about grief and brotherhood in a way that words never could. If you want to see where the mechanics of games like It Takes Two actually started, this is the laboratory.
Portal 2 is Still the King of Puzzles
People forget how old Portal 2 is. It doesn't matter. It’s still the gold standard.
The co-op campaign is entirely separate from the single-player story. You play as Atlas and P-Body, two robots being tested by GLaDOS. The humor is dry, mean, and perfect. But the puzzles? They require a level of spatial reasoning that makes most modern games look like child's play.
You aren't just jumping on platforms. You're thinking in four dimensions.
- "If I place a portal here, and you fly through that one, you'll gain enough momentum to hit the switch."
- "Wait, no, if I move, you fall into the acid."
It’s a test of communication. If you and your partner can get through the later chambers without a genuine argument, your relationship is legally indestructible.
The Chaos of Overcooked! All You Can Eat
Some people want "co-op" to be relaxing. Overcooked is the opposite. It is a digital heart attack.
You’re chefs in a kitchen that is actively trying to kill you. Sometimes the floor splits in half. Sometimes you’re on a moving truck. Sometimes there are portals. You have to chop tomatoes, fry steaks, and wash dishes while shouting orders at each other.
It captures the frantic energy of It Takes Two but strips away the narrative. It’s pure mechanics. It’s about the breakdown of systems. When everything goes wrong—when the kitchen is on fire and someone threw the fire extinguisher into the trash—that’s when the real fun starts.
We Were Here: The Ultimate Communication Test
This is a series of games that most people overlook. The We Were Here franchise is built entirely around walkie-talkies.
You and your partner are separated. You can't see each other’s screens. One of you is in a library full of clues; the other is in a room full of death traps. You have to describe what you see.
"I see a red symbol that looks like a squiggly eye."
"Okay, I have a dial with three eyes, which one is squiggly?"
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It’s the purest form of "asymmetric" gameplay. You are two halves of one brain. If you liked the sections in It Takes Two where May and Cody had different abilities, this series takes that concept and turns it into an entire game. The best part? The first game is usually free on most platforms. There’s no excuse not to try it.
Unravel Two and the Physical Connection
Unravel Two is literally about being tied together. You play as two "Yarnys"—small creatures made of thread—who are physically connected by a single strand.
This connection is the core mechanic. You use your partner as an anchor to swing across gaps. You climb up their thread. You wrap yourself around objects to create bridges. It’s beautiful, it’s slightly melancholic, and it’s much more "chill" than Overcooked or Portal.
The puzzles aren't incredibly difficult, but the tactile feel of the yarn is satisfying. It captures that sense of physical co-dependency that made the "Rose’s Room" level in It Takes Two so memorable.
Bread & Fred: The New Contender
This is a relatively newer addition to the world of games like It Takes Two, and it’s surprisingly brutal. You play as two penguins tied together by a rope, trying to climb a mountain.
It’s a "rage game." If you fall, you both fall.
It requires incredible timing. You have to swing your partner to build momentum, then they have to grab the ledge at the exact right millisecond. It’s simple, cute, and will make you want to throw your controller out the window. But the satisfaction of finally clearing a difficult jump is unparalleled. It’s that same high you get after beating a boss in It Takes Two.
Why Sackboy: A Big Adventure is Often Misunderstood
A lot of people dismiss Sackboy as a "kid's game." That’s a mistake. While it’s certainly more accessible, the level design is top-tier.
It doesn't force cooperation as hard as Hazelight’s games do, but it rewards it. There are specific "Co-op Only" levels that are genuinely creative and require synchronized movement. The soundtrack is also incredible—levels move to the beat of licensed music in a way that feels very "Hazelight-esque."
It’s a great "palate cleanser" if you want something high-quality but less emotionally draining than a story about a failing marriage.
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The "Hidden" Gems You Haven't Considered
There are a few games that don't look like It Takes Two on the surface but scratch that same itch.
- Snipperclips (Nintendo Switch): It’s a game about cutting your partner into different shapes to solve puzzles. It’s hilarious and requires a lot of "No, move left, now SNIP ME" communication.
- Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes: One person looks at a bomb on a screen. The other has a massive physical (or PDF) manual. You have to talk each other through the defusal process. It’s pure stress and pure cooperation.
- Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga: While the puzzles are easy, the sheer variety of "stuff to do" mirrors the kitchen-sink approach of It Takes Two. It’s a great choice if you just want to sit back and experience a world together.
- KeyWe: You play as two kiwi birds working in a post office. It’s chaotic, cute, and requires serious coordination to get the mail out on time.
Moving Forward: How to Choose Your Next Game
Don't just buy the first thing you see. Think about what you actually liked about It Takes Two.
If you loved the story and the cinematic feel, go with A Way Out. It’s the closest thing in existence.
If you loved the mind-bending puzzles, pick up Portal 2 or the We Were Here series. They will challenge your brain in ways most modern shooters won't.
If you loved the sheer variety and craziness, Overcooked or Sackboy are your best bets.
The reality is that Hazelight has cornered a very specific market. They have a massive budget and a "gameplay-first" philosophy that is rare in the industry. But by looking at these alternatives, you can find pieces of that magic elsewhere.
Actionable Next Steps
- Audit your "P2": Are they a "hardcore" gamer or someone who just enjoys the ride? If they're casual, start with Unravel Two or Sackboy. If they’re seasoned, go straight to Portal 2.
- Check for Friend Passes: Both A Way Out and the We Were Here games often offer a "Friend Pass." This means only one person has to own the game for both of you to play online. It’s a huge money saver.
- Don't skip the "Asymmetric" Tag: When searching Steam or the PlayStation Store, look for the "Asymmetric VR" or "Co-op" tags. These usually indicate games where players have different roles, which is the "secret sauce" you're looking for.
- Embrace the friction: Part of the fun of these games is the minor frustration when you aren't in sync. Don't let it ruin the night—it’s part of the design.
The search for games like It Takes Two is really a search for connection. Whether you're convicts, penguins, or sentient balls of yarn, the goal is the same: realizing you're better together than you are alone. Pick one, grab a second controller, and get back to it.