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Following the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. While it may not be seen as the top offer in gaming now, the platform has introduced a number of big-name launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

This week's recommendations include a therapeutic shooter, an prize-winning independent 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 series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage targeting Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes filled with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as ever, featuring the series' signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit detail. It's a bloody excitement for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on post-pandemic existence, generational pain, and much more. It examines these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that terrible plague, along with memories of her education and home life, both of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a killing. Is there a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, which is also included). But, with a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight characters, every one representing a distinct genre. There's a investigative story about a cleric looking into the murder of his church's archbishop. A merchant striving to eradicate poverty through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed narrative. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (because every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious background, of course). A few of these plots connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.