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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed several big-name day-one games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast library of numerous games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

Our current picks include a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning indie masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a violent thrill for any pacifist looking to let off steam in the safety of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on post-pandemic existence, generational pain, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible disease, along with experiences of her school and home life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from that point. If all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a murder. What could be a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing 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 visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, which is also included). But, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, every one embodying a different genre. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve poverty through the force of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (because all great RPGs require a hero with an mysterious background, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.