The first Unravel was quite a charming platformer. The realistic visuals combined with a life-time's worth of memories made the story memorable. Unravel Two's sudden release was quite a surprise but more interesting than that is the fact that it was co-op this time around. Which such a limited number a traditional couch co-op games being released Unravel Two really shines as a shared experience.
As Unravel Two starts players are washed ashore and soon enter into a dark, eerie lighthouse. The significance of the lighthouse is unknown for most of the game but it acts as a base in between chapters. The first chapter you meet the main two kids you'll follow around for most of the game. The kids are always on the move whether running away from their guardians, bullies, animals, and other threats. They often find themselves in a tight spot and your actions will help them get through these situations.
Working together to solve puzzles and outrun danger is a blast. Although you spend a little time with the two protagonists in the background much of the game is just spent traversing the hazards each level presents. Being made out of yarn you can utilize your yarn to swing around, make bridges, and pull one another up. You'll not only have to use these abilities to progress but often there will be puzzles. These puzzles require you to move, pull, and push objects while also maneuvering your characters to particular locations.
The photo realistic backgrounds and locations is a real treat. Your two yarn people are all that stands in contrast to the vivid scenery. The humans are blurred as I believe a reminder that you are visiting memories of these kids rather than seeing then in real time. The different environments, from the factory to the forest, all look great. During the faster sections of the game you'll traverse large portions of the level while rapidly swinging and jumping to stay safe.
Unravel Two is simply a well-polished side-scroller. The art is beautiful, the puzzles are clever, and the action is intense. Being able to play cooperatively with another person is definitely a high point for this series. I have no doubt Unravel Two would be just a playable as the the first game was when playing solo but it is a fantastic addition. The stories in the two games don't appear to be connected, so even if you haven't played the first one you won't be missing anything as far as the narrative is concerned. That all said these are both really enjoyable games and the addition of co-op just adds that much more value to the Unravel Two.