Since its founding, Hazelight Studios has carved a unique niche in the video game industry by delivering exclusively cooperative experiences that demand two players. By 2026, both A Way Out (2018) and It Takes Two (2021) remain celebrated benchmarks of co-op design, each offering a distinct flavor of teamwork and storytelling. Despite sharing a developer and a core philosophy, the two titles diverge sharply in tone, mechanics, and narrative ambition. This comparison explores how they stack up across several key dimensions, drawing on the enduring conversations that still surround them years after release.
Hazelight’s approach to giving each player an individual perspective is one of the most distinctive features of both games. In It Takes Two, Cody and May occasionally find themselves separated by puzzles or narrative beats, but the overall experience keeps them tightly tethered. The real star in this department is A Way Out. Its opening sequence alone demonstrates the power of split perspectives: Leo resides inside the prison walls while Vincent endures the intake process as a new inmate. These parallel experiences continue throughout the escape saga, allowing players to inhabit their character’s personal story rather than simply following a shared path. The split-screen presentation reinforces this duality, making the jailbreak feel more intimate and grounded.
When it comes to side activities and mini-games, It Takes Two handily outpaces its predecessor. A Way Out does include diversions like arm wrestling and Connect Four, but they feel like minor asides. In contrast, It Takes Two transforms mini-games into a core collectible system. Players who chase 100% completion will find a delightful array of competitive challenges—Whack-A-Mole, Laser Tennis, Rodeo, and Horse Derby among them—that are tracked and rewarded. These humorous interludes not only break up the platforming but also deepen the playful rivalry between Cody and May, making the world feel densely packed with interactions.
The protagonists themselves define the emotional core of each adventure, and here A Way Out delivers a more compelling dynamic. Leo’s hotheaded impulsiveness and Vincent’s calculated reserve create a tense, evolving partnership that keeps players invested. Their backstories—revealed through encounters with family members and quiet moments of confession—build credible motivations for revenge and redemption. It Takes Two, on the other hand, saddles players with a bickering couple whose arguments can grate after several hours. While Cody and May’s journey forces them to rediscover lost passions, their emotional arc occasionally feels shallow compared to the gritty, high-stakes bond between the two convicts.
Supporting characters provide the opposite result: It Takes Two shines brightest. The Vacuum boss, a vengeful cleaning appliance with a hilarious grudge, eclipses any minor figure in A Way Out. Chapter 2’s Squirrel resistance against the Wasps and the tragically misguided Moon Baboon add layers of charm and eccentricity. Every side character is perfectly tied to the level’s theme and often steals the spotlight from the protagonists. A Way Out features serviceable side characters, but none approach the memorability or sheer creativity found in the whimsical world of It Takes Two.
Campaign length is another differentiator. According to aggregated player data still cited in 2026, A Way Out clocks in at roughly six hours, while It Takes Two stretches to around twelve. The shorter runtime of the prison drama feels perfectly calibrated to its narrative—tight, urgent, and free of filler. It Takes Two, despite its constant gameplay variety, risks overstaying its welcome for some pairs. That said, the extended duration allows for a wider range of environments and mechanics, which many players find rewarding.
Visually and mechanically, It Takes Two is a tour de force. Each chapter introduces a completely new setting—a tree interior, a child’s bedroom turned into a sprawling obstacle course, a treacherous snow globe mountain—accompanied by novel gameplay tools for each character. This relentless reinvention keeps the experience fresh and encourages replay with a different partner. A Way Out leans on more grounded locations like prisons, forests, and desert roads, which serve its story well but lack the fantastical spectacle of its successor.
Narrative complexity is where A Way Out truly excels. What begins as a straightforward prison break evolves into a web of personal vendettas, family drama, and a shocking plot twist that recontextualizes the entire journey. Players who experienced it blind still recall the climactic betrayal and the agonizing final choice. By comparison, It Takes Two stays within the boundaries of a heartwarming romantic comedy—effective and emotionally resonant, but far less surprising. The depth of Leo and Vincent’s intertwined fates gives A Way Out an edge as a story-driven experience.
Ultimately, both games stand as essential co-op titles, but It Takes Two emerges as the more innovative and replayable package. Its inventive level design, evolving asymmetric mechanics, and stunning visual variety pushed the genre forward in ways that remain influential in 2026. A Way Out offers a superior narrative punch and a perfectly paced shorter campaign, making it ideal for story-focused duos. For those seeking the pinnacle of cooperative gameplay, however, Hazelight’s second outing remains the definitive choice. At the time of writing, A Way Out is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, while It Takes Two also spans PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, ensuring both are accessible for modern co-op sessions.
