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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed several high-profile day-one games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive library of hundreds games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as ever, featuring the series' signature killcam displaying each shot's effect in gory, explicit clarity. It's a violent excitement for every peace-lover looking to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic existence, family pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged 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 plot unfolds from there. If all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a murder. What could be a more gripping start than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour 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 HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, also available). However, due to a break in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, every one embodying a different story style. You'll find a investigative tale about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to eradicate destitution through the power of commerce headlines a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a character with an unknown past, naturally). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century inspired world. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” boiled to its essence.