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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. While it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of high-profile day-one games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive library of numerous games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

Our current recommendations feature a cathartic shooter, an prize-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 franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players intensely graphic carnage against enemy forces. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's signature killcam displaying each shot's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story exploring life after a pandemic existence, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that terrible disease, along with memories of her school and family life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does begin with a murder. What could be a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, which is also included). But, with a break in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, each embodying a different story style. You'll find a procedural story about a cleric investigating the death of his church's archbishop. A merchant striving to eradicate poverty through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a hero with an unknown past, of course). A few of these stories connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired world. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.