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Following the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. Although it may not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed a number of big-name launch day releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a massive collection of numerous games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage against enemy forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's impact in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody excitement for every peace-lover wanting to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story touching on life after a pandemic life, family trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her education and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from that point. Should all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does start with a killing. Is there a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, which is also included). But, with a break in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, every one representing a distinct story style. There's a procedural tale about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve poverty through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (since all great RPGs require a hero with an unknown past, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.