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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. While it may not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several big-name day-one games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's picks include a cathartic action game, an award-winning indie masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players intensely graphic carnage against enemy targets. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes filled with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as ever, with the game's trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent excitement for every pacifist wanting to unwind in the safety of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring post-pandemic existence, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, as well as memories of her education and family life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot develops from there. If all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a murder. Is there a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, which is also included). However, with a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, every one representing a distinct genre. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to eradicate poverty through the power of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (because all great 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 Industrial Revolution themed world. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.