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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. While it may not be considered the top offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed several high-profile day-one releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a vast library of hundreds games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem against Nazi targets. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished dose of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as always, with the game's trademark killcam displaying each shot's effect in gory, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover looking to let off steam in the security of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the story unfolds from that point. If all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does begin with a killing. Is there a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, also available). However, with a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, every one representing a distinct story style. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve poverty through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these plots intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.