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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. While it may not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several high-profile day-one releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's picks include a therapeutic action game, an prize-winning indie gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage targeting enemy targets. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as ever, with the game's signature killcam showing each shot's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the security of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring life after a pandemic existence, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as memories of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from that point. If all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a murder. Is there a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, which is also included). However, with a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, every one representing a distinct genre. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate poverty through the force of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a hero with an unknown background, naturally). Some of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its purest form.