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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be seen as the top deal in gaming now, the platform has introduced several big-name day-one games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a massive collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem against Nazi forces. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with enemy targets. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as always, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the security of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on life after a pandemic existence, family trauma, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, as well as memories of her school and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the story develops from there. If all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a killing. Is there a more gripping start than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, which is also included). However, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, each embodying a different story style. There's a investigative story about a priest looking into the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant striving to eradicate destitution through the force of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (because all great RPGs require a character with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these plots connect in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution themed world. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.