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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. Although it may not be considered the top offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of big-name day-one releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast library of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

Our current picks include a therapeutic shooter, an prize-winning indie masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem against enemy targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with enemy objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as ever, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative exploring post-pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, along with memories of her education and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot develops from there. Should all that mystery fails to grab your interest, the game does start with a murder. Is there a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, which is also included). But, due to a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, every one representing a distinct genre. You'll find a procedural story about a priest investigating the murder of his church's head priest. A merchant aiming to eradicate poverty through the power of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (because every good RPGs require a character with an unknown background, of course). Some of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century themed world. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.