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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of high-profile launch day releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a massive collection of numerous games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

Our current recommendations feature a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning indie 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 franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting enemy targets. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with enemy targets. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as always, with the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent excitement for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning story touching on post-pandemic existence, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, as well as memories of her school and family life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the plot develops from there. If all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if there's 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 (as is the original game, also available). But, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, every one embodying a distinct story style. You'll find a procedural story about a priest investigating the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate poverty through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a hero with an unknown past, of course). Some of these plots connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century themed setting. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its essence.