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Following the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. Although it may not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed several big-name launch day releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

Our current recommendations feature a cathartic shooter, an award-winning indie 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 delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy forces. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, with the series' signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in gory, explicit clarity. It's a violent excitement for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative touching on post-pandemic existence, generational pain, and much more. It examines these subjects through a science fiction lens; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, along with experiences of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story unfolds from that point. Should all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. Is there a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving attempting the grind 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, also available). But, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight characters, every one embodying a different story style. You'll find a procedural tale about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A trader aiming to solve poverty through the force of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (because every good RPGs require a hero with an unknown past, of course). Some of these stories intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its purest form.