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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. While it might not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed several big-name launch day releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a vast collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players ultraviolent mayhem targeting Nazi targets. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as always, with the series' signature killcam showing each shot's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for any pacifist looking to unwind in the security of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed narrative touching on post-pandemic life, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot develops from that point. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game indeed begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a tall order, 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 end of November (along with the first game, also available). However, with 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 genre. There's a procedural tale about a priest investigating the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve destitution through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed narrative. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (because every good RPGs require a hero with an unknown background, naturally). A few of these plots intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.