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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. While it might not be seen as the top deal in gaming now, the platform has welcomed several big-name day-one releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a vast library of numerous games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

This week's picks feature a cathartic shooter, an award-winning indie masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players ultraviolent mayhem targeting enemy forces. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as ever, with the game's signature killcam showing each shot's impact in gory, explicit clarity. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on post-pandemic existence, family pain, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that terrible disease, as well as memories of her education and home life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from that point. Should all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does begin with a killing. What could be a more gripping start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in just 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 visually striking gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, which is also included). However, due to a break in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, each embodying a distinct genre. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant aiming to solve poverty through the power of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because all great RPGs need a character with an unknown background, naturally). A few of these stories intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.