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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. Although it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has introduced a number of high-profile launch day games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast library of numerous games perfect for weekend-long gaming binges.

This week's picks feature a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning indie gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players ultraviolent mayhem targeting Nazi targets. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as always, with the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist looking to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning story exploring life after a pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the story unfolds from that point. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a murder. What could be a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving attempting 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, which is also included). However, with a break in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each representing a distinct genre. There's a procedural tale about a cleric investigating the death of his church's head priest. A trader striving to solve destitution through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a character with an unknown past, of course). A few of these plots connect in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” distilled to its essence.