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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the top deal in gaming now, the platform has introduced a number of high-profile launch day releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast library of hundreds games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

Our current picks feature a therapeutic shooter, an prize-winning indie gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem targeting enemy targets. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as ever, featuring the game's trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in graphic, explicit detail. It's a bloody excitement for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the security of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring post-pandemic existence, family pain, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, as well as experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the story unfolds from there. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days 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 gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, which is also included). But, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight characters, each representing a different story style. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric investigating the murder of his church's archbishop. A trader striving to solve poverty through the power of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a character with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these plots connect in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century inspired setting. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.