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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. While it may not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has introduced a number of high-profile day-one releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a vast library of hundreds games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

Our current recommendations feature a cathartic action game, an award-winning indie gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem against Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with enemy targets. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as ever, featuring the game's trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a bloody excitement for every pacifist looking to unwind in the security of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring post-pandemic life, family trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that horrific plague, along with experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from there. Should all that mystery fails to hook you, the game does begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, also available). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, every one embodying a distinct story style. There's a investigative story about a cleric looking into the death of his church's head priest. A merchant striving to solve destitution through the force of capitalism stars in a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since all great RPGs require a hero with an mysterious background, naturally). Some of these stories connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.