Playing through Hazelight Studios' co-op adventure requires about 12 to 15 hours for a standard playthrough. If you're rushing past every optional minigame, you can finish the core story in roughly 10 hours. Completionists hunting down every hidden achievement and minigame will need closer to 15 to 18 hours.
Understanding how long the experience takes helps you plan your game nights with a partner. Because the entire title is strictly cooperative, your pace depends entirely on communication, shared puzzle-solving skills, and how thoroughly you explore each vibrant chapter.
Main Story Length vs Completionist Play
Most players experience the adventure over several weekend sessions. The runtime stays remarkably consistent across platforms like Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox because there's no filler grinding.
- Main Story Only: Expect 10 to 12 hours if you stick to the linear path, tackle boss fights efficiently, and only occasionally try out nearby minigames.
- Balanced Playthrough: Taking time to explore optional paths, chat with quirky environment objects, and test out half of the hidden minigames stretches the clock to 12 to 15 hours.
- 100% Completion: Finding every hidden mini-game, earning all trophies, and uncovering every secret takes 15 to 18 hours.
Unlike open-world role-playing titles that pad their runtimes with fetch quests, this journey keeps its pacing tight. Every single chapter introduces brand-new gameplay mechanics that never overstay their welcome.
Chapter Breakdown and Pacing
The journey is split into distinct chapters, each themed around domestic life, emotional breakdown, and imaginative fantasy environments. Knowing the pacing helps you break up your play sessions.
Shed and Tree Chapters
The opening hours introduce Cody and May trapped as handmade dolls. You'll navigate the tool shed and a massive backyard tree. These early zones take about 3 to 4 hours combined. You'll spend time learning basic platforming, hammer-and-nail mechanics, and sap-detonation physics.
Cuckoo Clock and Snow Globe Chapters
The middle act ramps up the complexity. You'll manipulate time, pilot a biplane made of pillows, and explore a frozen village. This section demands precise coordination and takes roughly 4 to 5 hours to clear.
Garden, Music, and Attic Chapters
The final stretch brings whimsical gardening puzzles, a literal music-themed nightclub level, and a chaotic finale in Cody and May's attic. These closing chapters wrap up in about 3 to 4 hours. The final boss encounter tests every skill you've learned across the journey.
Factors That Influence Your Playtime
No two sessions look identical. Several specific variables dictate whether you finish in a single weekend or stretch it across a month.
- Co-op Communication: Speaking over voice chat or sitting on the couch together changes everything. Silent guesswork leads to repeated deaths on platforming sections, while clear callouts cut your completion time in half.
- Puzzle Experience: If you and your partner regularly play split-screen co-op or puzzle platformers, you'll breeze through environmental riddles. Newcomers to video games might need extra trial-and-error attempts.
- Minigame Hunts: Scattered across the levels are 25 competitive minigames. Ignoring them keeps your timer lean, but stopping to compete against your partner adds significant time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you play the game solo?
No. The experience is built from the ground up exclusively for two players. You either need local couch co-op or online play with a partner. Fortunately, the Electronic Arts Friend's Pass lets a second player join your online session for free.
Is the game difficult for casual players?
Checkpoints are extremely generous, and dying never penalizes your progress. If one player struggles with a platforming jump, the game instantly respawns them right next to their partner after a brief floating-ghost phase.
Does the game support cross-play?
Cross-generation play works within the same console family, such as PS4 to PS5, but full cross-play between PlayStation, Xbox, and PC is not supported. You must play with someone on the same platform or ecosystem.
Is there any replay value after finishing?
Once the credits roll, most players swap character roles and play through again. Playing as May instead of Cody offers a completely different gameplay perspective since every character handles unique tools in each level.
