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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming now, the platform has introduced a number of high-profile day-one releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

This week's recommendations feature a therapeutic action game, an award-winning indie masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting enemy targets. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, featuring the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent excitement for any peace-lover wanting to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her school and home life, both of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the story unfolds from there. If all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a killing. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving trying the grind 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). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, every one embodying a distinct genre. There's a procedural tale about a priest investigating the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate poverty through the power of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a character with an unknown past, naturally). A few of these plots intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.