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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. While it may not be seen as the top offer in gaming anymore, the service has introduced a number of big-name day-one releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

This week's picks feature a cathartic action game, an award-winning indie gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players ultraviolent carnage targeting Nazi forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, with the game's trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in graphic, explicit detail. It's a violent excitement for any pacifist looking to let off steam in the safety of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story exploring life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these themes through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible disease, along with experiences of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from there. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. Is there a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). But, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, every one representing a distinct genre. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant aiming 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 require a hero with an unknown past, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.