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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. Although it may not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several high-profile launch day games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a vast collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished dose of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with enemy targets. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as always, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying each shot's impact in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic existence, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible disease, along with experiences of her school and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the plot develops from there. If all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, which is also included). But, with a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight characters, every one embodying a distinct genre. There's a investigative story about a cleric looking into the death of his cathedral's head priest. A trader striving to solve poverty through the power of capitalism headlines a western-themed narrative. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (since all great RPGs need a hero with an unknown background, naturally). Some of these stories intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its essence.