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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. Although it may not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed several high-profile day-one games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a vast collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy targets. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the game's signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible disease, as well as memories of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from there. If all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game does begin with a murder. Is there a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving trying the grind 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, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, each embodying a different story style. There's a procedural tale about a priest looking into the death of his church's archbishop. A trader aiming to solve destitution through the power of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (because all great RPGs require a character with an unknown background, of course). A few of these plots intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century themed world. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.