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Following the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. Although it may not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced a number of big-name day-one releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

This week's recommendations include a cathartic action game, an prize-winning indie gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players intensely graphic carnage targeting Nazi targets. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a polished dose of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with enemy objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as always, featuring the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's effect in gory, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the security of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story exploring post-pandemic existence, generational pain, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her school and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from there. Should all that mystery fails to hook you, the game does start with a killing. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, which is also included). However, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, every one representing a different genre. You'll find a procedural story about a cleric looking into the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A trader striving to solve destitution through the force of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these stories connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution themed world. And the combat is superb — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.