🔗 Share this article

After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. Although it might not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of high-profile day-one releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive collection of numerous games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

This week's picks include a therapeutic shooter, an prize-winning independent gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent carnage targeting enemy forces. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a polished serving of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's effect in gory, explicit clarity. It's a violent thrill for every peace-lover wanting to unwind in the security of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible disease, along with memories of her education and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. If all that mystery fails to hook you, the game does start with a murder. What could be a more gripping opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, which is also included). But, due to a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each representing a distinct genre. You'll find a investigative tale about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A trader aiming to eradicate destitution through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (since all great RPGs require a character with an unknown background, of course). A few of these plots connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.