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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. Although it may not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several high-profile day-one games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast library of hundreds games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi forces. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent 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 visceral and gratifying as ever, with the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a bloody excitement for every pacifist wanting to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed narrative exploring post-pandemic life, family trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that horrific plague, along with memories of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the plot develops from that point. If all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does begin with a murder. Is there a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, which is also included). But, with a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, every one representing a different genre. You'll find a procedural story about a priest investigating the murder of his church's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve destitution through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs require a hero with an mysterious background, of course). A few of these plots connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.