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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. Although it may not be seen as the top deal in gaming now, the service has introduced a number of big-name day-one games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem against Nazi targets. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent thrill for every peace-lover looking to let off steam in the security of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, along with experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the story unfolds from there. If all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed begin with a killing. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, which is also included). But, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each embodying a different genre. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric investigating the death of his church's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve poverty through the power of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired 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, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century inspired world. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.