Three Xbox Game Pass Games That Will Justify Your Subscription This Weekend (Nov. 21-23)

Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. Although it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced a number of big-name day-one games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

This week's picks include a cathartic action game, an prize-winning independent gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players intensely graphic carnage against enemy forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as ever, with the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's effect in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent thrill for any peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the security of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic existence, generational pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi lens; 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 delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, along with memories of her education and family life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from there. If all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, which is also included). But, with a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, every one representing a distinct genre. There's a procedural story about a cleric looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve destitution through the power of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these plots connect in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.