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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. While it might not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming now, the platform has welcomed several big-name launch day games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a vast library of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

This week's recommendations include a therapeutic action game, an prize-winning independent masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players ultraviolent carnage against enemy forces. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as always, with the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent excitement for any pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning story touching on post-pandemic life, family trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that horrific disease, as well as experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the story unfolds from there. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, also available). However, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each representing a distinct story style. There's a investigative tale about a priest investigating the murder of his church's head priest. A merchant aiming to eradicate poverty through the force of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since all great RPGs need a hero with an mysterious background, naturally). Some of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” distilled to its essence.