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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. While it may not be seen as the top deal in gaming now, the service has introduced a number of high-profile day-one games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a massive collection of numerous games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

Our current recommendations feature a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning independent gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi forces. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as always, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit detail. It's a violent thrill for every peace-lover wanting to unwind in the safety of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring post-pandemic life, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, along with experiences of her education and home life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story unfolds from that point. If all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only 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 end of November (along with the original game, also available). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight characters, every one representing a different story style. There's a investigative story about a priest looking into the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve destitution through the force of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs need a character with an unknown background, naturally). Some of these stories intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.