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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. While it may not be seen as the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced a number of big-name day-one games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a massive collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players intensely graphic carnage targeting enemy targets. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's signature killcam displaying every bullet's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody excitement for any pacifist looking to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story exploring post-pandemic existence, family pain, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, along with experiences of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the story unfolds from that point. If all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. Is there a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, also available). However, with a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight characters, each representing a different story style. You'll find a procedural story about a priest looking into the murder of his church's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve destitution through the power of capitalism stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious background, naturally). Some of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century themed setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.