Chapter 153: Sales Explosion
The reviews were very mixed, ranging from level design and story to memes and off-game experiences.
It is worth mentioning that It Takes Two provided an unforgettable experience for all players. Despite some painful moments, the gameplay was thrilling and exciting, like an animated movie. The ending was a happy one, as expected, which left many players very satisfied.
Four days after the game's launch, reviews from major media outlets began to pour in. Many video game media outlets were moved to tears. After all, with the recent video game drought, there hasn't been much news to capture players' attention.
Many video game media outlets also remember how awkward their first review of Dark Souls was. This is because Nebula Games does not prepare a press release for developers in advance, which allows them to analyze the game before or on the day of its launch. Therefore, the media could only experience the game firsthand, just like the players, and then publish their reviews.
However, for these media outlets, playing video games is different from what an ordinary player does. While ordinary players can simply play, reviewing a game requires them to pay attention and thoroughly understand its content. This is, without a doubt, an important task.
The initial launch of Dark Souls was a dark period for national media. The extremely high difficulty, fragmented narrative, and even side quests that were impossible to miss without a guide in the first playthrough, led to a high probability of missing something.
This caused some reviews from accredited media to remain unpublished for more than two weeks after the launch of Dark Souls. But once they finally completed Dark Souls and understood its depth, an even more awkward situation arose: Dark Souls' reputation had completely changed from mixed to enthusiastic reviews.
Players were well aware of the game's features. So-called media reviews were intended primarily as a reference for players who did not fully understand the game's specific nature. But all players know that the role of this review is, naturally, not that important. Except for players who like this game more or want to use the ratings to discredit it, the general public uses them more as a reference to decide whether to buy it or not.
Thus, Dark Souls at the time was well remembered by many video game media outlets.
But now it's different!
Now It Takes Two is already available, although these media outlets also did not receive the early review version. As a result, the review was not published on the same day.
But at least it reached the peak popularity of It Takes Two, and in addition, due to the characteristics of the two-player limit, many players were waiting to see what would happen. This time we can say that their review came at the right time!
They took advantage of this hype!
Among the various national media outlets, the lowest rating was a 9. Game Time, whom Alex had already interviewed, even gave it a perfect 10.
In its review, Game Time commented on It Takes Two:
"Without a doubt, It Takes Two is the best two-player cooperative game in recent years, with no exceptions! From the moment you immerse yourself in this wonderful world, you are bombarded with sensations from all angles, a feast created from creativity and imagination."
"For more than twelve hours, you will constantly switch between gameplay and scenarios. At one moment you are traveling on a train through the stars, the next you are piloting a battleship in a world of blocks, bombing a mountain-like octopus. You never know what new and exciting gameplay awaits you around the corner. T
his unique game mechanic, which would be a core pillar in other games, could be just an appetizer, never to be seen again. This feeling of unexpected surprise and fantastic scenarios turns the entire game into a winding roller coaster."
"Without a doubt, this is a magnificent cooperative adventure game that opens the doors to great creativity. It is beautiful, fast-paced, and brimming with creativity, with gameplay and experimentation that are rewarded in every play."
"Story-focused, It Takes Two is equally excellent, seamlessly integrating gameplay and story."
"The plot is a timeless reflection on love, marriage, and family: when a marriage is worn down by life, can family warmth rekindle love?"
"The game revolves around three key questions: [In the face of daily needs, will couples spend enough time together?], [Besides love, what else binds them?], and [If life erodes our passion, what is the meaning of life?]. Through the levels and stories, players get answers to these three questions, elevating the game's theme."
"In a family, children are like the rope that ties the couple together. Of course, children are never a shackle for their parents, but they should be at least the last common thread. It is a somewhat cruel story, but deeply sincere. The game employs a clever worldview, using a fantastical character's adventures to examine it from a different perspective."
After the publication of reviews in major media outlets, It Takes Two's popularity showed no signs of diminishing. Sales have also been steadily increasing, reaching 1.55 million copies in just two weeks.
This sales figure slightly surprised Alex. After all, two-player games, especially those that require cooperation between them, are inherently very selective. Not all players play in pairs, and It Takes Two is by invitation only: anyone who has the game can invite another player to play, which will further promote the platform.
However, reaching these sales figures exceeded Alex's expectations.
However, Alex briefly summarized the online situation of It Takes Two and had a rough idea. The surge in sales of It Takes Two was mainly due to three factors.
The first is, naturally, the excellent quality of the game itself.
The second is the scarcity of this type of game. For many players, cooperative two-player games are not that special, but a cooperative game with rich content and a large volume like It Takes Two is the first of its kind.
As for the third factor, it is, naturally, the game drought. Although several developers have released new works after the New Year, they are not, in essence, good. And players' expectations are, in general, unattainable.
In this case, the appearance of It Takes Two naturally attracted players who were short on games.
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