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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it might not be seen as the top deal in gaming now, the platform has welcomed several big-name launch day releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive library of hundreds games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

This week's recommendations include a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage targeting enemy forces. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II open environments packed with enemy targets. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as ever, with the series' signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in gory, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any pacifist looking to let off steam in the safety of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on post-pandemic life, family trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that horrific disease, as well as memories of her school and home life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. If all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a killing. What could be a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if there's any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, which is also included). But, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, every one embodying a distinct story style. There's a procedural tale about a priest looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant aiming to solve poverty through the power of commerce headlines a western-themed narrative. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (because every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). Some of these plots intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century inspired setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.