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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. While it may not be seen as the top offer in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several high-profile launch day games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive collection of numerous games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's picks feature a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players ultraviolent carnage against Nazi forces. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as always, with the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist looking to let off steam in the security of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on post-pandemic existence, generational pain, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that terrible disease, along with memories of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story develops from there. If all that mystery fails to hook you, the game does begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if any game worth trying the effort 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, with a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, every one representing a different genre. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve destitution through the power of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (since all great RPGs need a hero with an unknown background, of course). Some of these plots intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.