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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. While it may not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has introduced a number of big-name day-one games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast library of hundreds games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

Our current recommendations include a cathartic action game, an prize-winning independent gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players ultraviolent carnage against enemy forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the game's signature killcam displaying every bullet's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for any pacifist looking to unwind in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story exploring post-pandemic existence, family pain, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that horrific disease, as well as memories of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. If all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, which is also included). However, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the States, it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, every one embodying a different genre. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric looking into the murder of his church's archbishop. A trader aiming to eradicate destitution through the power of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (since every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). Some of these plots intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.