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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. While it may not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed a number of high-profile launch day releases lately, 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 therapeutic shooter, an prize-winning indie masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic mayhem against enemy forces. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a polished serving of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as ever, featuring the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's effect in gory, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover wanting to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story exploring life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that horrific plague, along with experiences of her education and family life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from there. Should all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. What could be a more compelling opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, which is also included). But, with a break in the midst, at least for those in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each representing a distinct story style. There's a procedural tale about a priest looking into the murder of his church's archbishop. A merchant aiming to eradicate poverty through the force of capitalism stars in a western-themed narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (since all great RPGs require a hero with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century inspired world. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.