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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. Although it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed several high-profile launch day releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, with the game's signature killcam displaying each shot's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a violent thrill for any peace-lover wanting to unwind in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as memories of her school and family life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot unfolds from there. If all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. Is there a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if 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 (along with the first game, also available). But, with a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, each embodying a different story style. You'll find a procedural story about a priest looking into the murder of his church's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve destitution through the power of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a hero with an mysterious past, naturally). Some of these plots connect in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.