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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. While it might not be considered the top deal in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed several high-profile launch day releases recently, such as 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 recommendations feature a cathartic action game, an prize-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 delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players ultraviolent mayhem against Nazi forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as ever, with the series' signature killcam displaying each shot's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist looking to unwind in the security of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on life after a pandemic existence, family trauma, and much more. It examines these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as memories of her education and family life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. If all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a murder. Is there a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, also available). However, with a break in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each embodying a different genre. There's a procedural story about a priest looking into the murder of his church's head priest. A trader striving to solve destitution through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (since all great RPGs need a hero with an mysterious background, naturally). A few of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.