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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. Although it might not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced a number of big-name day-one releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a massive collection of numerous games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

Our current recommendations include a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning indie gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting enemy forces. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, with the game's trademark killcam showing every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover wanting to unwind in the security of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic existence, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these subjects through a science fiction lens; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her education and family life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story unfolds from there. Should all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game does start with a murder. Is there a more compelling opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, also available). But, with a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, every one representing a distinct story style. There's a procedural story about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A trader aiming to eradicate poverty through the force of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (since every good RPGs require a hero with an unknown past, of course). Some of these plots intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed setting. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.