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

After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. While it might not be considered the top deal in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced a number of high-profile launch day releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive library of hundreds games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

Our current recommendations include a cathartic action game, an award-winning indie masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players ultraviolent carnage against enemy targets. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as always, featuring the game's signature killcam showing each shot's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody thrill for any pacifist looking to let off steam in the safety of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic existence, family pain, and much more. It approaches 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 wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot develops from there. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, also available). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, each embodying a distinct genre. There's a investigative story about a cleric investigating the murder of his church's archbishop. A trader aiming to solve destitution through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since all great RPGs require a character with an unknown background, naturally). Some of these plots intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its purest form.