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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. While it might not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has introduced a number of big-name launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a vast library of hundreds games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi targets. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as always, featuring the game's signature killcam showing each shot's impact in gory, explicit detail. It's a violent thrill for any pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, along with memories of her education and home life, both of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot develops from that point. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game does start with a killing. What could be a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, also available). However, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, each embodying a different story style. There's a procedural story about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve destitution through the force of capitalism stars in a western-themed narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). Some of these plots intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.