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

After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. While it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several big-name launch day games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

Our current picks feature a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem targeting enemy targets. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as ever, with the game's trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in gory, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative touching on post-pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It examines these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, as well as memories of her education and family life, both of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. Should all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does start with a murder. What could be a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game worth attempting the grind 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, also available). However, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each embodying a distinct genre. You'll find a investigative story about a priest looking into the death of his church's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve poverty through the force of capitalism stars in a western-themed narrative. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a character with an unknown background, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century inspired world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.