There’s one thing we believe very strongly here at GameSpew: couples who play together, stay together.
Sometimes there’s nothing better than snuggling up on the sofa with your loved one, playing a video game together. Whether it’s a co-op game or an adventure you can both take part in, sharing the experience makes it way better than playing alone. And thankfully, there are plenty of great games for couples on Xbox Game Pass.
We’ve rounded up some of the best right here. There’s a selection of local multiplayer games and games you can simply take it in turns to play, but every single one of them comes personally recommended from us. Whether both you and your partner love games or one of you isn’t as familiar as the other, these games are all worth trying out.
1. A Way Out
A Way Out is a special kind of co-op game. Where other games may throw in a co-op mode alongside the main single-player mode, here, co-op is the only way to play. A Way Out tells the story of Leo and Vincent; they’re prison inmates and together, they’ve hatched up a plan to escape. With you and your partner each taking on the role of one of the men, you’ll have to carry out their plan. But getting outside the prison walls is only the beginning. It turns out life on the outside isn’t going to be easy for two runaway convicts.
Over the course of the game you’ll learn more about Leo and Vincent, and their separate lives. You’ll need to stealth past police officers, work together to solve puzzles, and help each other out in a big world where everyone’s out to get you. It’s a fantastic game, and one of the best co-op games of recent years. The fact it relies so much on teamwork makes it one of the best games for couples on Xbox Game Pass.
Note: A Way Out is available on EA Play, so you’ll need Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to be able to play it.
2. As Dusk Falls
More of an interactive drama than a video game, As Dusk Falls is the perfect game for couples to play together. Exclusive to Xbox, this tense drama tells the story of a crime that goes wrong, and the people involved in it. You’ll experience the point of view of brothers who are holding people hostage in a motel – and you’ll also get to see things from the viewpoint of those being held hostage, too.
Played out over a number of chapters, As Dusk Falls allows players to make choices together, agreeing on how a particular event should play out. The decisions you make will ultimately affect how the narrative plays out, and so you’ll want to think through each choice carefully. If you and your partner love a good drama, this is one for you.
Read our review of As Dusk Falls
3. It Takes Two
From the same team that brought us A Way Out, It Takes Two is the ultimate game for couples – and it’s free to play on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. This is a fairytale adventure that tells the story of May and Cody, a married couple on the brink of separation who are unwittingly turned into dolls by a wish made by their daughter. And so, as a pair of dolls, you must work together to – hopefully – get your human bodies back.
Like A Way Out, this is a game that can only be played in co-op, and so everything has been designed to be played by two people. Whether you’re playing as Cody or May, both you and your partner will have an equally important role in solving puzzles, navigating the environment and making your way to the end of the game. It’s beautiful, it’s colourful, and every couple should play it.
Read our review of It Takes Two
4. Tetris Effect Connected
While the base game of Tetris may be a solitary experience, Tetris Effect Connected comes with a wealth of co-op and multiplayer modes designed to be played together. Co-operatively, there’s the ‘Connected’ mode. Although this is designed to be played with three players, the third position can be filled with AI. It’s a unique twist on Tetris; you’ll each have your own grid to work on, but every so often all three grids will join into one, and you’ll have to work together to clear lines. It’s a great way to work together and communicate in order to achieve the best score.
And if you fancy a bit of healthy competition, Tetris Effect Connected has several head-to-head modes available, too. We find Tetris is a great game to play competitively with a loved one; it’s fun without ever getting quite heated enough to start an argument! And since it’s on Xbox Game Pass, it’s undoubtedly one of the best games for couples you can play on there.
Read our review of Tetris Effect Connected
5. Goat Simulator
If you and your partner enjoy being silly together, then Goat Simulator is undoubtedly one of the best games for couples on Xbox Game Pass. This satirical ‘simulator’ game puts you in the role of a goat and pretty much gives you free rein to wreak havoc around the world however you see fit. Sure, there are some missions to complete if you want, but the real fun of Goat Simulator is simply mucking around in the game’s sandbox.
It’s not a serious game by any means, and as its several years old it’s starting to show its age. But for games all about being silly, this is one of the best. You and your partner can play together in split screen, each taking control of your own goat and causing as much chaos as possible. Entering someone’s house and destroying their furniture? No problem. Throwing yourself out of a window? Sure. Getting run over? If you really want to, why not.
Read our review of Goat Simulator
6. Unravel Two
Few games are as beautiful and heartwarming as Unravel Two. A follow-up to Unravel, this time the adorable woollen protagonist has a friend. And so Unravel Two has been designed to be played in co-op. To succeed, both players will have to take on an equal role, helping each other to make their way across each level.
Unravel Two is a platform adventure game, with plenty of puzzles to solve along the way. It can be played in single-player, by switching between the two in-game characters as and when you need to. But with two players helping each other out, Unravel Two is much more fluid and enjoyable. The level of co-operation required here makes this one of the best games for couples on Xbox Game Pass. The fact it looks so beautiful is simply the cherry on top.
Note: Unravel Two is available on EA Play, so you’ll need Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to be able to play it.
