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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. Although it might not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming now, the platform has introduced a number of big-name day-one games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a vast collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's recommendations include a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning indie masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent carnage against enemy forces. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as always, featuring the series' signature killcam showing every bullet's effect in gory, explicit detail. It's a bloody excitement for every pacifist wanting to unwind in the security of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on life after a pandemic existence, family trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't 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 compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if any game deserving trying the grind 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). But, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, each embodying a different genre. There's a investigative story about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A trader aiming to solve poverty through the force of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious past, naturally). Some of these plots connect in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the combat is superb — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.