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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. While it may not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed a number of big-name launch day releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting enemy targets. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with enemy objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic existence, family pain, and much more. It examines these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that terrible disease, as well as memories of her education and home life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot develops from that point. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if any game worth trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, also available). However, with a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each embodying a different story style. There's a investigative tale about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant aiming to solve poverty through the force of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a character with an unknown background, of course). Some of these plots connect in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.