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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed a number of big-name day-one releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a massive library of hundreds games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players ultraviolent mayhem targeting Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished dose of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as always, with the game's trademark killcam displaying each shot's effect in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent excitement for every pacifist looking to unwind in the safety of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story touching on life after a pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction lens; you play as Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible disease, along with experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. Should all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game worth trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, also available). However, with a break in the midst, at least for those in the States, it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each representing a different story style. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant striving to solve poverty through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because every good RPGs need a hero with an unknown past, naturally). Some of these stories connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century themed world. And the combat is superb — “number go up” distilled to its essence.