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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. While it may not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of big-name day-one games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a vast library of hundreds games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

This week's picks feature a therapeutic action game, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players ultraviolent mayhem targeting enemy targets. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as always, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit detail. It's a violent excitement for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story exploring post-pandemic life, generational pain, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her education and home life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from that point. Should all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game does begin with a killing. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, which is also included). But, due to a break in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, every one embodying a distinct story style. There's a investigative tale about a priest looking into the murder of his church's head priest. A merchant aiming to eradicate poverty through the force of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (because all great RPGs require a character with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.