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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. Although it may not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed a number of high-profile launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

Our current picks include a therapeutic action game, an award-winning indie masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on post-pandemic life, generational pain, and much more. It examines these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible disease, as well as memories of her education and family life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the plot develops from that point. If all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. What could be a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, which is also included). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, every one embodying a distinct genre. There's a procedural story about a priest investigating the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant striving to solve poverty through the power of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a character with an unknown background, naturally). Some of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century themed world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.