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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. While it might not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several big-name day-one releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a vast library of numerous games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players ultraviolent carnage against Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as ever, with the game's signature killcam displaying each shot's impact in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the security of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, family trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes 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 human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that horrific disease, as well as memories of her education and home life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story unfolds from there. If all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does begin with a murder. Is there a more gripping start than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game worth trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, also available). However, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, every one representing a distinct genre. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric investigating the death of his church's archbishop. A merchant aiming to solve destitution through the force of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since all great RPGs need a character with an unknown past, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.