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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. Although it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has introduced several high-profile launch day games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a vast collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy targets. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a polished dose of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with enemy targets. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's signature killcam displaying every bullet's impact in gory, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, generational pain, and other deep themes. It approaches these themes through a science fiction lens; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from there. Should all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a killing. What could be a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, which is also included). But, due to a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, each embodying a different story style. You'll find a procedural tale about a priest investigating the murder of his church's head priest. A trader striving to solve poverty through the force of commerce headlines a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (since every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.