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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. Although it might not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of high-profile launch day games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions only enhance a massive collection of numerous games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

Our current picks include a cathartic shooter, an award-winning independent masterpiece, 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 provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy targets. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a polished serving of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as always, with the game's signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody excitement for any pacifist looking to unwind in the safety of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning story touching on post-pandemic life, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as memories of her school and home life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the plot develops from that point. Should all that mystery fails to hook you, the game does begin with a killing. What could be a more gripping start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). But, with a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, each embodying a distinct genre. You'll find a procedural story about a cleric investigating the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant aiming to solve poverty through the power of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious past, naturally). Some of these plots intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its essence.