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Following 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 now, the service has introduced a number of high-profile launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a vast library of numerous games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's recommendations include a therapeutic action game, an prize-winning indie masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage targeting Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished serving of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as always, featuring the series' trademark killcam showing every bullet's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a bloody excitement for any pacifist looking to unwind in the security of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story touching on life after a pandemic existence, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that horrific disease, along with memories of her school and family life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the story develops from that point. Should all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does start with a killing. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, which is also included). But, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, each embodying a different genre. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A trader striving to solve poverty through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious background, of course). Some of these stories connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.