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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the top deal in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed several high-profile launch day games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players ultraviolent mayhem targeting Nazi forces. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the series' signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for any peace-lover wanting to unwind in the safety of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction lens; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, along with experiences of her education and family life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from that point. Should all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game indeed begin with a killing. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, which is also included). But, due to a break in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, each representing a distinct story style. There's a procedural tale about a cleric looking into the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve poverty through the force of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (because every good RPGs need a character with an unknown background, naturally). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.