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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it may not be seen as the top deal in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced a number of high-profile day-one releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive collection of numerous games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players intensely graphic carnage against enemy forces. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as always, featuring the series' signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on post-pandemic existence, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her education and home life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the plot unfolds from there. If all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game does start with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving 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, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, each embodying a different genre. You'll find a procedural story about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader aiming to solve destitution through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these plots intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.