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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. While it might not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed several high-profile launch day releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a massive collection of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

Our current recommendations include a cathartic shooter, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players intensely graphic carnage targeting Nazi forces. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as always, featuring the game's signature killcam displaying each shot's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for every peace-lover wanting to unwind in the safety of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, generational pain, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, as well as memories of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story unfolds from that point. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game indeed begin with a murder. Is there a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece 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 U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each representing a different story style. There's a procedural tale about a priest investigating the death of his church's head priest. A merchant striving to eradicate poverty through the force of commerce headlines a western-themed narrative. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious background, naturally). Some of these plots intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.