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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. While it may not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced a number of big-name launch day games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players intensely graphic carnage targeting enemy targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim 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, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent excitement for any pacifist wanting to unwind in the security of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story touching on post-pandemic existence, family pain, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, along with memories of her education and home life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the story unfolds from that point. If all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does begin with a murder. Is there a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, also available). But, with a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, each representing a distinct story style. There's a investigative tale about a priest looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve destitution through the power of commerce stars in a western-themed narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious background, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.