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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. While it might not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has introduced a number of high-profile launch day games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a massive collection of numerous games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players intensely graphic mayhem against Nazi targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II open environments packed with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as always, with the series' trademark killcam showing every bullet's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent excitement for any peace-lover looking to let off steam in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story touching on life after a pandemic existence, family trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these themes through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot develops from there. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a killing. Is there a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving trying the effort 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, which is also included). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each representing a different story style. You'll find a procedural story about a priest looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader aiming to eradicate destitution through the force of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a hero with an unknown background, naturally). A few of these plots intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century inspired setting. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its purest form.