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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. While it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the platform has welcomed a number of big-name launch day releases lately, 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 recommendations feature a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning indie gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's signature killcam showing each shot's effect in graphic, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for any pacifist wanting to unwind in the safety of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative touching on life after a pandemic existence, family pain, and much more. It examines these themes through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. If all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game does begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). But, with a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, every one embodying a different story style. There's a investigative tale about a cleric investigating the death of his church's archbishop. A trader aiming to eradicate poverty through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (since every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious background, of course). A few of these plots connect in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century inspired setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.