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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. Although it might not be seen as the top deal in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of big-name launch day releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a massive collection of numerous games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage against Nazi targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes filled with enemy objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, with the game's signature killcam showing each shot's effect in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent excitement for every peace-lover looking to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic existence, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that horrific disease, along with experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. If all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, also available). But, due to a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, each representing a different story style. You'll find a procedural tale about a cleric looking into the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant aiming to solve destitution through the power of capitalism stars in a western-themed narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a character with an unknown past, of course). Some of these plots intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed world. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.