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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. While it may not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming now, the service has introduced a number of big-name day-one games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a massive library of hundreds games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent carnage targeting Nazi forces. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as always, with the series' trademark killcam showing every bullet's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent excitement for any pacifist wanting to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the story unfolds from there. Should all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game indeed begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, also available). But, with a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, every one representing a different genre. You'll find a procedural story about a priest looking into the death of his church's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve destitution through the force of commerce headlines a western-themed narrative. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a character with an unknown past, of course). Some of these plots intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.