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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. While it may not be seen as the top deal in gaming now, the platform has welcomed a number of high-profile launch day releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a vast library of numerous games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent carnage against Nazi forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as always, featuring the series' trademark killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the security of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring post-pandemic existence, generational pain, and much more. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as memories of her school and family life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game does begin with a killing. Is there a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only 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 leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with 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 follows 8 protagonists, every one embodying a different story style. There's a investigative tale about a cleric looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to solve destitution through the power of capitalism stars in a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (because every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious background, naturally). Some of these stories connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the combat is superb — “number go up” boiled to its essence.