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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. While it might not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed several high-profile launch day releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a massive collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players ultraviolent mayhem targeting Nazi targets. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as always, with the game's trademark killcam displaying each shot's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist wanting to unwind in the security of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic existence, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her school and family life, both of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a killing. Is there a more gripping opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if 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 (as is the original game, also available). However, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, each representing a distinct story style. You'll find a investigative tale about a priest looking into the murder of his church's archbishop. A trader striving to solve poverty through the power of commerce headlines a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a character with an mysterious background, naturally). A few of these stories connect in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.