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

After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. While it might not be seen as the top offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of big-name launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a massive collection of numerous games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

Our current recommendations feature a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy targets. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as always, with the game's signature killcam showing each shot's effect in gory, explicit detail. It's a bloody excitement for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the security of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story touching on post-pandemic life, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction lens; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her education and home life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story develops from there. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game does begin with a killing. What could be a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, also available). But, with a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, every one embodying a different story style. You'll find a investigative tale about a priest looking into the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant aiming to eradicate destitution through the power of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because every good RPGs need a character with an unknown background, of course). A few of these plots intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its essence.