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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. While it may not be seen as the top deal in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed several high-profile launch day games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive library of hundreds games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as ever, featuring the game's trademark killcam showing each shot's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody excitement for any pacifist looking to unwind in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic existence, family pain, and much more. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that terrible disease, along with experiences of her education and home life, both of which were easy 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 does begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game worth attempting 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 first game, also available). But, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, every one representing a distinct story style. You'll find a procedural tale about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A trader striving to eradicate destitution through the power of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (since all great RPGs need a character with an unknown background, naturally). Some of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.