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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. Although it may not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has introduced a number of high-profile launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

This week's recommendations include a cathartic action game, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players ultraviolent mayhem targeting enemy forces. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the series' trademark killcam displaying each shot's impact in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any pacifist wanting to let off steam in the security of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, generational pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. 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 easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the story unfolds from that point. Should all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, which is also included). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, every one embodying a different genre. There's a procedural story about a cleric looking into the death of his church's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve poverty through the force of capitalism stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs need a hero with an mysterious past, naturally). Some of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century themed setting. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.