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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. Although it might not be seen as the top offer in gaming now, the platform has introduced several high-profile launch day games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players ultraviolent carnage targeting Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying each shot's impact in gory, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, generational pain, and much more. It examines these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that horrific disease, as well as experiences of her education and home life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from that point. If all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if any game deserving trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, also available). However, due to a break in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, each embodying a different story style. You'll find a procedural tale about a cleric looking into the death of his church's head priest. A trader aiming to eradicate destitution through the force of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since all great RPGs need a hero with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these plots connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution themed world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.