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Following the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed several big-name launch day releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive library of hundreds games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

Our current recommendations feature a therapeutic action game, an prize-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the series' signature killcam displaying each shot's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for any pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative touching on post-pandemic life, family trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that horrific plague, along with memories of her education and family life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does begin with a killing. Is there a more gripping opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, which is also included). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, each embodying a different genre. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve destitution through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (since every good RPGs need a character with an unknown past, naturally). Some of these plots intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the combat is superb — “number go up” distilled to its essence.