3 Xbox Game Pass Games That Will Validate Your Subscription During the Weekend (Nov. 21-23)

Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it may not be considered the top offer in gaming now, the platform has welcomed a number of big-name day-one releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's recommendations include a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning independent gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players ultraviolent carnage against enemy targets. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as always, featuring the game's signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist looking to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on post-pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her education and home life, both of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from that point. If all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. What could be a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if any game worth 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, which is also included). But, due to a break in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, every one representing a different genre. There's a investigative story about a cleric investigating the murder of his church's head priest. A trader aiming to solve destitution through the power of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (since all great RPGs need a character with an unknown background, of course). A few of these stories connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its essence.