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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. While it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several big-name day-one games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend-long gaming binges.

This week's picks include a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning independent gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic carnage against Nazi targets. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with enemy targets. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as ever, featuring the series' signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for any peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the security of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, family trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, along with memories of her school and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from that point. If all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if any game worth trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). But, with a break in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, each embodying a distinct genre. There's a procedural tale about a priest investigating the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to solve poverty through the power of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (because every good RPGs need a character with an unknown past, of course). Some of these stories intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.