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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed 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 marathon sessions.

Our current picks feature a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning indie gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem against Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as always, with the game's signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the security of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on post-pandemic life, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible disease, along with memories of her school and family life, both of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from that point. If all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does begin with a murder. Is there a more gripping start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, which is also included). But, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, every one embodying a different genre. You'll find a investigative story about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant striving to eradicate destitution through the power of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (since every good RPGs need a character with an unknown background, naturally). Some of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.