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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it may not be considered the top deal in gaming now, the service has welcomed several high-profile day-one releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a vast collection of numerous games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's picks include a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning independent gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players intensely graphic mayhem against enemy targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as ever, with the game's signature killcam displaying each shot's impact in gory, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for every peace-lover looking to let off steam in the security of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic life, family 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 sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot develops from there. If all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game does begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). But, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, every one embodying a different story style. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric looking into the death of his church's head priest. A trader striving to solve destitution through the power of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (because all great RPGs require a hero with an mysterious background, naturally). Some of these stories connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed world. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.