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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming now, the platform has welcomed a number of big-name launch day games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players ultraviolent carnage against Nazi targets. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as always, with the series' trademark killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, 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 award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction lens; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, as well as memories of her education and home life, both of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot develops from there. Should all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). But, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight characters, each embodying a distinct genre. There's a investigative tale about a cleric investigating the death of his church's archbishop. A merchant aiming to eradicate poverty through the power of capitalism stars in a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious background, of course). A few of these plots intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.