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

After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. Although it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the platform has welcomed a number of high-profile day-one releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a massive collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players ultraviolent carnage targeting enemy targets. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as always, with the series' signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent thrill for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the security of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative touching on post-pandemic existence, generational pain, and other deep themes. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her education and home life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, 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 opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, which is also included). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each representing a distinct story style. You'll find a procedural tale about a cleric investigating the murder of his church's archbishop. A merchant aiming to eradicate destitution through the power of capitalism stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). Some of these stories connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, while you progress through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the combat is superb — “number go up” boiled to its essence.