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Following the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. While it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed several big-name launch day releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a massive library of numerous games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players ultraviolent mayhem targeting enemy forces. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished serving of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying each shot's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody excitement for every peace-lover looking to let off steam in the security of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story exploring life after a pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, along with experiences of her school and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the story unfolds from there. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does start with a killing. Is there a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, also available). However, due to a break in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each representing a different story style. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric looking into the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader aiming to eradicate poverty through the force of commerce headlines a western-themed narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (since all great RPGs need a hero with an mysterious background, naturally). Some of these plots intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.