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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. While it might not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed several big-name launch day releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a massive library of numerous games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players ultraviolent carnage against Nazi forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a polished serving of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as always, featuring the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist looking to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story touching on post-pandemic existence, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, along with experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game does start with a murder. Is there a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just 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 visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, also available). But, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, every one embodying a different genre. You'll find a investigative tale about a priest investigating the murder of his church's archbishop. A merchant striving to eradicate poverty through the force of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (since every good RPGs require a character with an unknown past, naturally). Some of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century inspired setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.