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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. While it may not be seen as the top offer in gaming now, the platform has welcomed a number of high-profile day-one games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a massive collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

Our current recommendations feature a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic carnage against enemy targets. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as always, with the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's impact in gory, explicit detail. It's a violent excitement for any peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the security of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring post-pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It examines these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, along with memories of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does begin with a killing. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, which is also included). But, due to a break in the midst, at least for those in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each embodying a different genre. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric looking into the murder of his church's head priest. A trader aiming to solve poverty through the power of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with amnesia (since every good RPGs require a hero with an unknown past, of course). Some of these plots intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the combat is superb — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.