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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. Although it might not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of big-name day-one games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend gaming binges.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players intensely graphic carnage targeting enemy forces. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with enemy targets. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody excitement for any pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed narrative touching on post-pandemic existence, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, as well as memories of her education and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the story unfolds from that point. If all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a murder. What could be a more gripping opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, which is also included). However, with a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, each embodying a different genre. There's a procedural tale about a priest investigating the murder of his church's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve destitution through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed narrative. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious background, of course). A few of these plots intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.