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

Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it may not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming now, the platform has welcomed several big-name day-one games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a vast library of hundreds games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

Our current picks feature a cathartic action game, an award-winning indie gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished dose of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with enemy targets. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's trademark killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, explicit detail. It's a violent thrill for any peace-lover looking to let off steam in the security of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed narrative touching on post-pandemic existence, generational pain, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, as well as experiences of her school and family life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot unfolds from there. If all that mystery fails to hook you, the game does begin with a killing. What could be a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, also available). But, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, each embodying a distinct genre. You'll find a procedural story about a priest looking into the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A trader striving to solve destitution through the power of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (since every good RPGs need a hero with an unknown background, of course). Some of these plots intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its essence.