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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several high-profile day-one games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a massive collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players intensely graphic mayhem against Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, with the game's trademark killcam showing every bullet's effect in gory, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the security of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring post-pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible disease, as well as memories of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. Is there a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). But, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, every one embodying a distinct genre. There's a investigative tale about a cleric looking into the death of his church's head priest. A trader striving to solve destitution through the power of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious background, naturally). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed world. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.