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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. While it might not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming now, the platform has introduced several big-name day-one releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a vast library of numerous games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage against Nazi targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with enemy objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, with the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent excitement for every peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning story exploring life after a pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, along with experiences of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from that point. If all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does start with a killing. What could be a more gripping start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, which is also included). However, with a break in the midst, at least for those in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, every one embodying a distinct story style. You'll find a investigative story about a priest looking into the death of his church's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate destitution through the force of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (since all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these plots intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired world. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.