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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it might not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several high-profile day-one releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a vast library of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic carnage targeting Nazi forces. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as always, with the series' trademark killcam displaying each shot's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent excitement for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the security of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning story exploring post-pandemic existence, family trauma, 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 only person left of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as memories of her education and home life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the plot unfolds from there. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. Is there 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 visually striking masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, also available). But, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight characters, each representing a distinct genre. You'll find a procedural story about a cleric looking into the murder of his church's archbishop. A trader aiming to solve poverty through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (since all great RPGs need a character with an unknown background, naturally). A few of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired world. And the combat is superb — “number go up” distilled to its essence.