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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. While it might not be seen as the top deal in gaming now, the platform has introduced several big-name launch day releases lately, such as 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 feature a cathartic action game, an award-winning independent gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage against enemy forces. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, with the series' trademark killcam displaying each shot's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any pacifist looking to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic existence, generational pain, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, along with memories of her education and family life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story develops from that point. Should all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does start with a killing. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, which is also included). However, due to a break in the midst, at least for those in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, every one representing a distinct story style. There's a investigative story about a priest looking into the murder of his church's head priest. A trader striving to eradicate poverty through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (because every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious background, of course). Some of these plots connect in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its essence.