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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. Although it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the platform has welcomed a number of high-profile launch day releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a massive library of numerous games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a polished dose of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as always, with the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's impact in graphic, explicit detail. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist looking to unwind in the security of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on post-pandemic life, family pain, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that terrible disease, as well as experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the plot develops from that point. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game does begin with a killing. Is there a more gripping start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, which is also included). However, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, each representing a different story style. You'll find a procedural story about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate poverty through the force of capitalism stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a hero with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these plots intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.