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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 top deal in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed a number of high-profile day-one releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players ultraviolent carnage against Nazi targets. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as always, featuring the series' signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent thrill for every peace-lover wanting to unwind in the security of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring post-pandemic life, generational pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that terrible plague, along with experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from there. If all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a killing. Is there a more gripping opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, which is also included). However, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, each embodying a different story style. You'll find a procedural story about a cleric looking into the murder of his church's head priest. A trader striving to solve poverty through the power of commerce headlines a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (because all great RPGs need a hero with an mysterious past, of course). Some of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.