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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. Although it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of high-profile day-one games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a massive library of numerous games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's picks include a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning independent gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players intensely graphic carnage against enemy forces. Recently, 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 sandboxes packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as always, with the game's trademark killcam showing each shot's effect in gory, explicit detail. It's a violent excitement for every peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic existence, family pain, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that terrible plague, along with experiences of her school and home life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story develops from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. Is there a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, which is also included). But, with a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, every one embodying a distinct genre. There's a procedural story about a cleric investigating the murder of his church's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate destitution through the power of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with amnesia (because every good RPGs require a hero with an unknown past, naturally). Some of these stories connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” distilled to its essence.