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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. While it may not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed several high-profile day-one games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

This week's recommendations feature a cathartic shooter, an award-winning independent gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem against enemy forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, with the series' trademark killcam displaying each shot's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist looking to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed narrative touching on post-pandemic life, generational pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, along with experiences of her education and home life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. If all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving attempting 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 original game, which is also included). But, with a break in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, each embodying a distinct genre. There's a investigative tale about a cleric looking into the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant aiming to eradicate destitution through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these stories connect in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century inspired setting. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.