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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. Although it may not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming now, the service has introduced several high-profile day-one releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast library of numerous games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's recommendations include a cathartic shooter, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players ultraviolent mayhem targeting enemy forces. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as always, with the series' signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody excitement for any peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on post-pandemic existence, family pain, and other deep themes. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, along with experiences of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. If all that mystery fails to grab your interest, the game does start with a killing. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if any game worth trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, which is also included). But, due to a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, every one embodying a distinct genre. You'll find a procedural tale about a priest investigating the death of his church's head priest. A trader aiming to solve destitution through the power of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century inspired world. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” boiled to its essence.