Three Game Pass Titles That Can Justify Your Membership This Weekend (Nov. 21-23)

After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. While it may not be seen as the top offer in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several high-profile day-one games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive library of hundreds games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players ultraviolent carnage targeting Nazi forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the series' signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in graphic, explicit detail. It's a violent thrill for any pacifist looking to unwind in the security of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on post-pandemic life, generational pain, and much more. It examines these subjects through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as memories of her education and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the story unfolds from there. If all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does start with a murder. What could be a more gripping opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, which is also included). However, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, each representing a distinct story style. There's a procedural tale about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve poverty through the power of commerce headlines a western-themed narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (because every good RPGs need a hero with an mysterious background, naturally). Some of these plots connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.