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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed a number of big-name day-one releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage against Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as ever, with the series' signature killcam displaying each shot's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent excitement for every pacifist looking to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story exploring post-pandemic existence, generational pain, and much more. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, along with memories of her school and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a murder. What could be a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, also available). But, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each representing a distinct genre. You'll find a investigative story about a priest investigating the murder of his church's archbishop. A merchant aiming to solve poverty through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a hero with an mysterious past, of course). Some of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed setting. And the combat is superb — “number go up” boiled to its essence.