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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. While it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed a number of high-profile launch day releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a massive collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem against Nazi targets. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II open environments filled with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, explicit clarity. It's a violent thrill for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic existence, family trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, as well as experiences of her education and family life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from that point. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a murder. Is there a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if any game worth attempting the effort 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, also available). However, with a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each representing a different genre. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric investigating the death of his church's archbishop. A trader striving to solve poverty through the power of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a character with an unknown past, naturally). Some of these plots intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.