Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki has said the last game to leave an impression on him was co-operative platformer It Takes Two.
Speaking about Elden Ring on the official PlayStation blog, Miyazaki was asked if there were any games in recent memory that particularly grabbed his attention. The director said that while he hasn’t had much time to play video games lately, Hazelight’s cartoonish platformer was a particular highlight.
“One game that stuck with me recently was It Takes Two,” Miyazaki said.
“I managed to play that one from start to finish with a friend online in three days across three sittings, and it was a great time. That game really left an impression on me, so yes, that’s one that I’ve managed to finish, at least!”
He went on to praise the game for its gameplay variety and narrative, which he said resonated with him as a father.
“It didn’t let up throughout, and it never let me get bored,” he said. “The art and gameplay are different in each stage, and the game encourages you to cooperate across its entirety yet still maintains that artistic element.
“It’s continually fun to play and felt extremely fresh to me right up until the end, which was impressive to me as a fellow creator.”
He also said that he continues to enjoy ‘analog’ and tabletop games, singling out murder mystery-type titles in particular.
Analysis: a man of many tastes
Fans of any creator like to know their influences. It often says a lot about their creations, direction, or potential interests. While Miyazaki undoubtedly won’t be releasing a colorful co-op platformer any time soon, his comments do demonstrate the director’s eclectic taste.
Punishing RPGs peppered with gothic horror and twisted fantasy imagery, the Souls games are worlds away from it Takes Two in both gameplay and theme. But it’s understandable why Miyazaki would like the co-op platformer. It was released to positive reviews across the board, with critics particularly praising its ability to introduce new mechanics in each new world, themed to that area.
Similarly, many were pleasantly surprised by the game’s narrative depth, which follows a couple rekindling their broken marriage through the tried and tested method of body-swapping with two dolls and exploring a magical-realist world.
Miyazaki’s comment about never feeling bored is particularly pertinent, however, as prior to the game’s release, studio director Josef Fares promised to give $1,000 to anyone who honestly claimed to get bored with the game.
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