3 Xbox Game Pass Titles That Can Justify Your Subscription This Weekend (Nov. 21-23)

Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. While it might not be considered the top deal in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of big-name launch day releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast collection of numerous games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

Our current picks feature a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning independent masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy forces. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's impact in gory, explicit clarity. It's a bloody excitement for any pacifist wanting to unwind in the security of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story exploring post-pandemic life, generational pain, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that terrible disease, along with experiences of her education and family life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the story develops from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does start with a murder. Is there a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, which is also included). However, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each embodying a distinct genre. You'll find a procedural story about a cleric looking into the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant aiming to eradicate poverty through the power of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these stories intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired world. And the combat is superb — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.