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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. While it may not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several high-profile day-one games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a massive collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem targeting enemy forces. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II open environments filled with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as always, with the game's trademark killcam showing each shot's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent excitement for any peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on post-pandemic existence, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the story unfolds from that point. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game does start with a murder. Is there a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only nine days 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 masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, which is also included). However, with a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, every one embodying a distinct story style. There's a procedural story about a cleric investigating the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to eradicate destitution through the power of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a character with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these plots connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the combat is superb — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.