🔗 Share this article

After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several high-profile launch day games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a vast collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem against enemy targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as always, with the series' signature killcam displaying every bullet's impact in gory, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning story touching on post-pandemic life, generational pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that horrific plague, along with experiences of her school and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story develops from there. Should all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game does start with a killing. Is there a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, which is also included). However, with a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, each embodying a different genre. You'll find a investigative story about a priest looking into the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve poverty through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a character with an unknown past, of course). Some of these stories connect in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century themed setting. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.