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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. Although it may not be seen as the top offer in gaming now, the platform has introduced several big-name launch day games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a vast collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem targeting enemy targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with enemy objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying each shot's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent excitement for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the security of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that terrible plague, along with memories of her education and home life, both of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the plot develops from that point. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does start with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, which is also included). However, with a break in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, every one embodying a different story style. There's a investigative story about a cleric investigating the death of his cathedral's head priest. A trader striving to solve destitution through the force of capitalism stars in a western-themed narrative. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious background, naturally). A few of these plots connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed setting. And the combat is superb — “number go up” boiled to its essence.