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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. Although it may not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced a number of high-profile day-one releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a massive library of hundreds games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players intensely graphic carnage against enemy targets. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a polished dose of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as ever, with the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic life, family trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, along with experiences of her school and home life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers 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 start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if there's any game worth trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, also available). However, with a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, every one embodying a distinct story style. You'll find a procedural story about a priest investigating the death of his church's archbishop. A merchant striving to eradicate destitution through the power of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a character with an unknown past, naturally). Some of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.