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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. Although it may not be considered the top deal in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed several big-name day-one releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a vast collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

This week's picks include a therapeutic action game, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem targeting enemy forces. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as ever, featuring the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a violent excitement for any pacifist looking to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on post-pandemic existence, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as memories of her school and home life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. If all that mystery fails to grab your interest, the game does start with a murder. What could be a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days 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 departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, also available). But, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, every one embodying a distinct story style. There's a investigative tale about a cleric looking into the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant striving to eradicate poverty through the power of commerce headlines a western-themed narrative. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (because all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). Some of these stories connect in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.