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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it may not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming now, the platform has introduced a number of high-profile day-one games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive library of numerous games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's picks include a therapeutic action game, an award-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 franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players intensely graphic carnage against enemy forces. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as always, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent excitement for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the security of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed narrative touching on life after a pandemic existence, family pain, and much more. It examines these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, along with memories of her education and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the story unfolds from that point. If all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does begin with a murder. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, also available). However, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, each embodying a different story style. There's a procedural tale about a cleric looking into the death of his church's archbishop. A merchant aiming to solve destitution through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (because all great RPGs require a character with an unknown past, of course). A few of these plots connect in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.