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After the recent price increase 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 day-one games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast library of numerous games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

This week's recommendations feature a therapeutic action game, 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 provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting enemy forces. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, with the game's trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody excitement for any pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story touching on post-pandemic existence, family pain, and much more. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, along with memories of her school and home life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. If all that mystery fails to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a killing. Is there a more compelling opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving trying 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). However, due to a break in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, every one embodying a different genre. There's a procedural story about a priest investigating the death of his church's head priest. A merchant aiming to eradicate poverty through the power of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (because all great RPGs need a hero with an unknown background, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its essence.