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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. Although it might not be seen as the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several high-profile launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast collection of numerous games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

Our current recommendations include a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning indie masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players intensely graphic carnage against enemy targets. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, explicit clarity. It's a violent excitement for any peace-lover looking to let off steam in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, generational pain, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, along with experiences of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the story unfolds from there. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game does begin with a murder. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, which is also included). But, due to a break in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each representing a different genre. You'll find a procedural story about a cleric looking into the murder of his church's archbishop. A merchant aiming to eradicate destitution through the force of capitalism stars in a western-themed narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (since every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these plots intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century themed world. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.