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After the latest price increase 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 welcomed a number of big-name day-one releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a vast library of hundreds games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

Our current recommendations feature a therapeutic shooter, an prize-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage targeting Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes filled with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as always, featuring the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's impact in gory, explicit detail. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist wanting to unwind in the safety of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative touching on post-pandemic existence, family pain, and much more. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, along with memories of her education and family life, both of which were easy 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. Is there a more gripping start than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only 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 masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, also available). However, with a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, every one representing a different story style. You'll find a procedural tale about a priest investigating the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate destitution through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a character with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.