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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. Although it may not be considered the top deal in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several high-profile launch day releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

Our current recommendations feature a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem targeting enemy targets. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as always, with the series' trademark killcam displaying each shot's effect in graphic, explicit detail. It's a violent excitement for any peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the security of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic existence, family trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, as well as memories of her education and home life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. If all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. Is there a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, also available). But, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, every one embodying a distinct story style. You'll find a procedural tale about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate destitution through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed narrative. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (since all great RPGs need a hero with an unknown background, of course). A few of these plots connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.