You’ve probably seen the yellow and blue cover. Maybe you spent twelve hours screaming at your partner while trying to navigate a vacuum cleaner boss fight. But honestly, the it takes two book—formally known in-game as the Book of Love—is the most polarizing part of Hazelight Studios’ 2021 masterpiece. It isn’t just a prop. It’s Dr. Hakim. And if you’ve played the game, you either love that loud-mouthed, hip-thrusting book or you absolutely want to toss him into a woodchipper.
It’s weird.
The game won Game of the Year for a reason. Director Josef Fares, a man who famously told the Oscars where to go during the Game Awards, didn't just want to make a platformer. He wanted to force players to reckon with divorce. The it takes two book acts as the physical manifestation of a marriage counselor, and while he’s technically a magical object brought to life by a child's tears, his advice is surprisingly grounded in actual relationship psychology.
The Dr. Hakim Problem: Is He Actually Right?
Most players find Dr. Hakim annoying. He’s loud. He interrupts. He forces Cody and May into death-defying scenarios. But look at it from a narrative design perspective. The it takes two book is doing something very specific: it’s mirroring the friction of a real relationship. You don’t want to do the work. You want the shortcut.
Dr. Hakim doesn't give shortcuts.
He talks a lot about "collaboration," which sounds like a corporate buzzword until you’re literally holding a nail while your partner swings a hammer. Hazelight used the book as a "pacing mechanism." Without the book popping up to reset the stakes, the game would just be a series of random puzzles. Instead, the it takes two book segments the journey into therapy milestones: Time, Passion, Coordination, and Communication.
Actually, there’s a real-world parallel here. Gottman Method therapy emphasizes the "Sound Relationship House." When Dr. Hakim tells Cody and May they need to find their "attunement," he’s riffing on real clinical concepts. It’s just that in the game, attunement involves flying a plane made of underpants.
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Why the Book of Love Isn't a Real Book (Yet)
I see this all the time on Reddit and Discord. People search for the it takes two book because they want to buy it for their anniversary. They want a physical copy of the Book of Love to give to their spouse.
Here is the cold, hard truth: It doesn't officially exist as a read-alone book.
There is no 300-page manuscript written by Josef Fares detailing how to fix your marriage. What exists are high-quality fan reproductions. You’ll find artists on Etsy and Creative Market who have painstakingly recreated the cover art—the mustache, the frantic eyes, the weathered leather. Some people have even made journals out of it. But if you’re looking for a "Book of Love" by Dr. Hakim at Barnes & Noble, you’re going to be disappointed.
Hazelight missed a massive merchandising opportunity here. Or maybe they didn't. Maybe the point is that the "book" is the experience of playing through it. Cheesy? Yeah. But true.
Design Secrets of the It Takes Two Book
The visual design of the book is fascinating. It’s meant to look "lived in." It has that Mediterranean flair, likely a nod to Fares’ own Lebanese-Swedish background. The character model for the book is incredibly expressive for something that doesn't have a skeleton.
Notice the texture.
It’s grainy.
It’s tattered at the edges.
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This reflects the state of Cody and May’s marriage at the start of the game. As the story progresses, the book doesn't necessarily get "cleaner," but the challenges it presents become more sophisticated. It moves from basic physics puzzles to complex emotional metaphors, like May literally losing her voice or Cody losing his green thumb.
What People Get Wrong About the Story
A lot of critics argued that the game forces a couple to stay together who probably should just get a divorce. They blame the it takes two book for being a "toxic" mediator.
I disagree.
The book doesn't actually force them to love each other; it forces them to cooperate. There’s a distinction. In the world of game design, this is called "forced mechanics." You cannot progress if you don't talk. If you’ve ever tried to play the "Cuckoo Clock" level in silence, you know it’s impossible. You have to communicate. The book is just the guy holding the stopwatch.
Practical Lessons You Can Actually Use
If you’re looking at the it takes two book for actual life advice, skip the hip-thrusting and look at the "Time" chapter.
The game argues that Rose (the daughter) isn't the problem, and the lack of love isn't even the problem. It’s the "Time" poverty. Cody and May stopped being people and started being "parents" and "workers."
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- Stop being a "Unit" and be "Partners": The book emphasizes individual passions. Cody’s garden and May’s singing. A marriage fails when individuals disappear.
- The "Check-In" is Mandatory: Every time the book appears, it’s a check-in. In real life, doing this once a week prevents the "tears on a wooden doll" scenario.
- Intentional Friction: Sometimes you need a Dr. Hakim to tell you that you’re being a jerk. A third-party perspective (a therapist, not a magical book) helps break the "He Said/She Said" loop.
The Legacy of a Magical Marriage Counselor
We don't see many games tackle adult themes with this much whimsy. Usually, "serious" games are dark, gritty, and involve a lot of rain. It Takes Two is bright, colorful, and violent in a Looney Tunes sort of way (RIP Cutie the Elephant).
The it takes two book remains the anchor. Without him, it’s just a toy box. With him, it’s a lecture you actually want to listen to. He represents the messy, annoying, but ultimately necessary work of staying connected to another human being.
If you want to bring the spirit of the book into your own life, don't look for a PDF. Look for a way to play something with someone you haven't really talked to in a while.
Actionable Next Steps:
- For Gamers: If you haven't finished the game because of the "annoying book," push through to the "Symphony" chapter. The payoff for the book’s arc is worth the frustration.
- For Gift Givers: Since there is no official book, look for "It Takes Two" inspired journals on independent artist sites. Use the first page to write down one thing you appreciate about your partner’s "hidden passion."
- For the Curious: Watch the "Making of It Takes Two" snippets on YouTube. Seeing the voice actor for Dr. Hakim (Joseph Balderrama) perform the lines in a mo-cap suit makes the character ten times more hilarious and impressive.
The Book of Love isn't about the pages. It's about the person sitting on the couch next to you.