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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. While it may not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming now, the platform has welcomed several big-name launch day releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a vast library of numerous games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

This week's recommendations feature a therapeutic action game, an award-winning independent gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy targets. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with enemy objectives. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent excitement for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story exploring post-pandemic life, family pain, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that terrible plague, along with memories of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. Should all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed begin with a murder. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if any game worth trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, also available). But, with a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, every one representing a distinct story style. There's a investigative story about a cleric investigating the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader aiming to solve poverty through the force of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since all great RPGs require a hero with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these plots connect in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.