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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the top deal in gaming now, the service has welcomed several high-profile day-one games lately, including 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 must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players ultraviolent carnage against Nazi forces. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with enemy targets. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, with the game's trademark killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent thrill for any pacifist wanting to unwind in the security of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, as well as memories of her education and home life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot develops from that point. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, also available). But, with a break in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, each representing a distinct genre. There's a investigative story about a cleric investigating the murder of his church's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate destitution through the power of commerce headlines a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs require a character with an mysterious background, naturally). A few of these plots connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired setting. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” boiled to its essence.