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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. Although it may not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed a number of big-name launch day releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's recommendations include a cathartic action game, an prize-winning indie gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage against Nazi targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as always, with the series' trademark killcam showing every bullet's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist looking to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative touching on life after a pandemic existence, family pain, and other deep themes. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, along with memories of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story unfolds from that point. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game does begin with a killing. Is there a more gripping start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, which is also included). However, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, each embodying a distinct story style. There's a investigative tale about a priest investigating the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate poverty through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these stories connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed world. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.