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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. While it may not be seen as the top offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed several high-profile launch day games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a massive collection of numerous games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

This week's recommendations include a cathartic action game, an prize-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 franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players intensely graphic mayhem against Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as ever, with the series' signature killcam displaying each shot's impact in gory, explicit clarity. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist looking to let off steam in the security of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on life after a pandemic existence, family trauma, and much more. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you play as 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 memories from the time Earth was beset by that terrible plague, along with experiences of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. If all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game does begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, also available). But, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, each embodying a different genre. You'll find a procedural tale about a priest investigating the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant striving to eradicate destitution through the power of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (since all great RPGs require a hero with an unknown background, of course). Some of these plots intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century inspired world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.