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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed several high-profile launch day games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's recommendations feature a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning independent gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a polished dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes filled with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as ever, with the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent thrill for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, along with memories of her education and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the story develops from there. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. Is there a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days 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 departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, also available). But, with a break in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each representing a distinct story style. You'll find a procedural story about a cleric looking into the murder of his church's head priest. A trader striving to eradicate destitution through the force of commerce headlines a western-themed narrative. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with amnesia (since every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious background, of course). A few of these plots intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed world. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its purest form.