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

Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. Although it may not be considered the top deal in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of high-profile launch day releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a vast library of numerous games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

This week's picks feature a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players ultraviolent carnage against Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a polished serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes filled with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as ever, with the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in gory, explicit detail. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist wanting to unwind in the safety of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on post-pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It examines these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that horrific disease, as well as memories of her education and family life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story develops from that point. Should all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does start with a killing. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). But, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, each representing a different genre. There's a procedural story about a cleric investigating the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant striving to solve poverty through the power of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because all great RPGs require a hero with an unknown background, of course). A few of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.