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

After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. While it may not be considered the top deal in gaming now, the service has introduced several high-profile launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a massive collection of numerous games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

This week's recommendations include a cathartic action game, an award-winning indie masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players intensely graphic carnage targeting Nazi targets. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as ever, with the game's trademark killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody excitement for every pacifist looking to let off steam in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on post-pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It examines these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, as well as experiences of her school and home life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from there. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a murder. What could be a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if any game deserving attempting the effort 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 original game, also available). However, with a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each representing a different story style. There's a procedural tale about a priest looking into the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant aiming to eradicate destitution through the power of capitalism stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these plots intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed world. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” distilled to its essence.