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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed several big-name launch day releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a vast library of numerous games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage targeting Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's impact in gory, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist wanting to unwind in the safety of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic life, generational pain, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that horrific plague, along with experiences of her school and home life, both of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only 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 visually striking gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, which is also included). But, with a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, each representing a different genre. There's a procedural story about a priest investigating the death of his church's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve destitution through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed adventure. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a hero with an unknown past, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.