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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. While it may not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several high-profile day-one releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players intensely graphic carnage targeting enemy targets. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes filled with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as always, with the series' signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in gory, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover looking to let off steam in the security of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring post-pandemic existence, family trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, along with experiences of her education and home life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. If all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a killing. What could be a more gripping opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, also available). However, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, every one embodying a different genre. There's a investigative story about a cleric investigating the death of his church's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve destitution through the power of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because all great RPGs require a hero with an unknown past, naturally). Some of these stories intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.