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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. Although it might not be seen as the top deal in gaming now, the service has introduced a number of big-name day-one releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a vast library of numerous games ideal for weekend gaming binges.

This week's picks feature a cathartic action game, an prize-winning indie gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, we all require a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players ultraviolent mayhem targeting Nazi forces. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as always, with the series' trademark killcam showing every bullet's effect in gory, explicit clarity. It's a violent thrill for every peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the security of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring post-pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that terrible disease, along with memories of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the plot unfolds from there. If all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a murder. Is there a more gripping start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if there's any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, also available). But, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, each embodying a distinct genre. There's a procedural tale about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A trader striving to eradicate destitution through the power of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a character with an unknown background, naturally). Some of these plots connect in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century inspired world. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.