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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed a number of high-profile day-one releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast library of hundreds games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

Our current recommendations feature a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning indie gem, 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 precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players ultraviolent mayhem against Nazi targets. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as ever, featuring the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's impact in gory, explicit detail. It's a bloody excitement for any peace-lover looking to let off steam in the security of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her education and family life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from that point. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game does start with a killing. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, also available). However, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, every one embodying a distinct story style. There's a investigative tale about a priest looking into the murder of his church's archbishop. A trader striving to solve poverty through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.