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

Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. While it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the platform has introduced a number of big-name launch day games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

Our current picks include a cathartic action game, an prize-winning indie masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players intensely graphic carnage against Nazi targets. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as always, featuring the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in gory, explicit clarity. It's a violent excitement for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative touching on life after a pandemic existence, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, along with memories of her education and family life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the story develops from that point. If all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game does start with a killing. Is there a more gripping opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, which is also included). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, every one representing a distinct genre. You'll find a procedural story about a priest looking into the death of his church's head priest. A trader striving to eradicate poverty through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (since all great RPGs require a character with an unknown background, of course). Some of these stories intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.