🔗 Share this article

Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. Although it may not be considered the top deal in gaming now, the platform has welcomed a number of big-name launch day games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a massive collection of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

Our current recommendations include a cathartic action game, an award-winning indie masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem against Nazi targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, with the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist wanting to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring post-pandemic life, family trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, along with memories 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 plot unfolds from there. Should all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a murder. What could be a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if there's any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, also available). However, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, each embodying a different story style. You'll find a investigative story about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader aiming to eradicate poverty through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with amnesia (since every good RPGs need a hero with an unknown background, naturally). Some of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.