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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. Although it may not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed several high-profile launch day games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a massive library of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players ultraviolent carnage targeting enemy forces. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the series' trademark killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, explicit clarity. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist looking to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic existence, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her education and family life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from there. Should all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game does start with a murder. Is there a more gripping opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, also available). However, with a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, every one representing a different story style. You'll find a investigative tale about a priest investigating the murder of his church's archbishop. A merchant aiming to solve poverty through the force of capitalism stars in a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because all great RPGs need a hero with an mysterious background, naturally). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired world. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” boiled to its essence.