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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. While it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced a number of big-name launch day releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a vast collection of numerous games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

This week's picks feature a cathartic action game, an prize-winning independent masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as ever, featuring the series' signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for any pacifist looking to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring post-pandemic existence, generational pain, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, as well as memories of her education and family life, both of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does begin with a killing. Is there a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, which is also included). However, due to a break in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, every one representing a different story style. There's a procedural tale about a priest looking into the murder of his church's head priest. A merchant striving to solve destitution through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (because all great RPGs need a character with an unknown past, of course). Some of these plots connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.