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

Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. While it might not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming now, the platform has introduced several big-name launch day releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a vast library of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

This week's picks feature a therapeutic action game, an prize-winning indie gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players intensely graphic carnage against enemy forces. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the series' signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent excitement for any pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring post-pandemic life, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, along with memories of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot develops from there. If all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does start with a killing. Is there a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, which is also included). However, with a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each embodying a different story style. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric investigating the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant striving to eradicate destitution through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an apothecary with amnesia (since all great RPGs require a character with an mysterious background, of course). A few of these plots intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century inspired world. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.