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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. Although it may not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has introduced a number of big-name launch day games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a vast library of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's picks include a cathartic action game, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi targets. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, featuring the series' signature killcam showing each shot's impact in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent excitement for any pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning story exploring post-pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It examines these themes through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story unfolds from there. If all that mystery fails to grab your interest, the game does begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, which is also included). But, with a break in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, each embodying a distinct genre. You'll find a procedural story about a priest investigating the death of his church's head priest. A trader striving to eradicate poverty through the force of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (since every good RPGs require a hero with an unknown past, of course). A few of these stories connect in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.