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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. Although it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the platform has welcomed several big-name launch day releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a vast library of numerous games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players intensely graphic mayhem against Nazi targets. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as ever, with the game's trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody excitement for any pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story exploring post-pandemic existence, family pain, and much more. It examines these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as memories of her education and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the story unfolds from that point. Should all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, also available). But, with a break in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, every one representing a distinct story style. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric investigating the murder of his church's head priest. A trader aiming to eradicate poverty through the power of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a character with an mysterious background, naturally). Some of these stories connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century inspired world. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.