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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it might not be considered the top deal in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several big-name day-one games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive library of numerous games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy targets. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as ever, featuring the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for any pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative touching on post-pandemic life, family trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as memories of her education and home life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from there. Should all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game does begin with a killing. Is there a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, which is also included). However, with a break in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight characters, each representing a different story style. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric investigating the death of his church's archbishop. A merchant striving to eradicate poverty through the power of capitalism stars in a western-themed narrative. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious background, naturally). A few of these stories intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.