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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. Although it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several high-profile launch day releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive collection of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

This week's picks feature a therapeutic shooter, an prize-winning indie gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players ultraviolent mayhem against Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as always, featuring the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's impact in graphic, explicit detail. It's a violent excitement for any pacifist looking to unwind in the security of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring post-pandemic life, generational pain, and much more. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as memories of her school and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the story unfolds from there. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game does start with a killing. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). However, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight characters, each representing a different genre. There's a investigative story about a priest looking into the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant striving to eradicate destitution through the force of commerce headlines a western-themed narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (since every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its purest form.