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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. While it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the service has introduced a number of big-name day-one releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's recommendations include a therapeutic action game, an prize-winning indie gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players intensely graphic carnage targeting Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with enemy objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as ever, with the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative touching on post-pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It examines these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, along with memories of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from there. If all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does begin with a killing. What could be a more gripping opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, also available). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, every one representing a different story style. There's a procedural tale about a cleric investigating the death of his church's archbishop. A trader striving to solve poverty through the power of commerce headlines a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because every good RPGs need a character with an unknown background, of course). Some of these plots intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.