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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. While it might not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed a number of big-name launch day releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast library of numerous games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem against Nazi forces. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as ever, with the game's signature killcam displaying each shot's impact in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover looking to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed narrative touching on life after a pandemic existence, generational pain, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction lens; you play as Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that terrible disease, as well as experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from there. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game does begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if any game deserving trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). However, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, every one representing a different genre. There's a investigative story about a cleric investigating the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant aiming to eradicate poverty through the force of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs require a hero with an unknown background, of course). A few of these plots connect in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.