Time for another installment of the What I Played On Game Pass column! I didn’t have as much time to game as last week, but I did get to play a couple of spectacular games I can’t wait to tell you about! Let’s dive right into it.

It Takes Two

From EA Originals and developer Hazelight Studios of the acclaimed A Way Out comes It Takes Two, a co-op adventure about love, discovery, and of course, COLLABORATION! It Takes Two tells the story of Cody and May, recently divorcing parents to a young girl named Rose. When Rose makes a wish for her parents to be friends again, their minds are transported to the bodies of two dolls. Together, May and Cody must travel through the house and surrounding environment to find Rose and get back to normal.

I played this game with my girlfriend, and I have to say it was an amazing experience. The game itself is very cute, the presentation and variety of the worlds you are presented with are always charming and endearing. One of the best things about the game is how no section overstays its welcome. Not a fan of stealth sections? It’s over in a flash. Are shooters not your thing? Give the game 10 minutes and you’ll be doing something else.

Each segment with its differentiating gameplay styles themed around the part of the game you’re in was a welcome sight. One other thing I enjoyed about the game was how user-friendly it was to players who don’t play many games. My girlfriend’s time playing games stopped around the SNES, but the game’s controls are so natural and adaptive that she had few problems navigating Cody and May’s house.  It Takes Two is a beautiful game with some lovely things to say and is well worth your time.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma

What a blast from the past this is! Recently added to Game Pass is the remaster of Ninja Gaiden Black (which was itself a remake of the 2004 Ninja Gaiden), Ninja Gaiden Sigma. I remember playing Ninja Gaiden on the original Xbox with my brother when I was maybe 14. Hacking and slashing your way through hordes of ninja enemies as Ryu Hayabusa really brought me back this week. The Team Ninja game was published by Tecmo is known for its difficulty, sometimes oblique puzzles, and tight, mechanical controls.

I’ve only made it a few chapters into the game on this playthrough. I never got very far in the game as a kid, and it’s just as difficult as I remember. As someone who has played many more games between then and now, I’m having somewhat of an easier time with it, but I still find myself dying a lot. Expect to hear more about this game next week as I get further into it.

Have you been playing anything on Xbox Game Pass? Got any upcoming games you’re excited about? Sound off in the comments below and I’ll see you next week!