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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. Although it may not be seen as the top offer in gaming now, the platform has introduced several high-profile launch day releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

Our current recommendations include a therapeutic action game, an prize-winning indie masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent carnage against enemy forces. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as ever, with the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody excitement for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on post-pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction lens; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, along with experiences of her education and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. If all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, also available). But, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, every one embodying a different story style. You'll find a procedural tale about a cleric investigating the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader aiming to eradicate destitution through the power of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (because all great RPGs need a hero with an mysterious background, naturally). Some of these plots connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century inspired world. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.