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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. While it might not be considered the top offer in gaming now, the service has introduced several big-name day-one games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a massive collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

Our current recommendations feature a cathartic shooter, an award-winning indie gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players ultraviolent carnage against Nazi forces. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying each shot's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent excitement for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on post-pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as memories of her school and home life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. Is there a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, also available). But, 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 embodying a different story style. There's a procedural tale about a priest looking into the death of his cathedral's head priest. A trader striving to solve poverty through the power of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (because every good RPGs need a hero with an unknown background, naturally). A few of these plots intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the combat is superb — “number go up” boiled to its essence.