🔗 Share this article

After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it may not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several big-name launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a vast library of numerous games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

This week's picks include a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning indie gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem targeting enemy targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the series' signature killcam displaying every bullet's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent excitement for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the security of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, as well as experiences of her education and family life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the story develops from that point. Should all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game does begin with a murder. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game worth trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, which is also included). However, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, each embodying a distinct genre. There's a procedural story about a priest looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve destitution through the force of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs need a hero with an unknown background, naturally). A few of these plots connect in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.