3 Game Pass Titles That Can Validate Your Subscription This Weekend (Nov. 21-23)

Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. Although it may not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming now, the platform has introduced a number of big-name day-one releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast library of numerous games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players ultraviolent mayhem targeting enemy targets. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, family pain, and other deep themes. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, along with memories of her education and home life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot develops from there. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a murder. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if any game deserving trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, also available). However, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, each embodying a distinct genre. There's a procedural tale about a priest investigating the murder of his church's archbishop. A merchant striving to eradicate poverty through the power of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (because all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). Some of these plots connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.