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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the top deal in gaming anymore, the service has introduced a number of big-name day-one releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a vast library of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

Our current recommendations feature a cathartic shooter, an award-winning indie gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players intensely graphic carnage targeting enemy targets. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished dose of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as ever, with the game's trademark killcam displaying each shot's impact in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a violent excitement for every pacifist wanting to unwind in the security of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring post-pandemic life, family pain, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, along with memories of her school and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot develops from there. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). However, with a break in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, every one representing a distinct genre. You'll find a procedural story about a priest looking into the murder of his church's head priest. A trader aiming to eradicate destitution through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (because every good RPGs need a hero with an unknown past, naturally). Some of these plots connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed world. And the combat is superb — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.