Three Xbox Game Pass Titles That Can Validate Your Membership During the Weekend (Nov. 21-23)

Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. While it might not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has introduced a number of big-name launch day games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast library of numerous games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players intensely graphic carnage targeting enemy targets. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as always, featuring the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the security of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring post-pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, along with memories of her education and home life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story unfolds from that point. Should all that mystery fails to hook you, the game does begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, also available). But, with a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, each representing a distinct genre. You'll find a investigative story about a priest looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve poverty through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because every good RPGs require a character with an mysterious background, naturally). Some of these stories connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its essence.