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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 absolute best deal in gaming now, the service has welcomed several high-profile launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

Our current recommendations include a cathartic shooter, an prize-winning indie masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players ultraviolent carnage against enemy forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as ever, with the game's signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody excitement for any peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic existence, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her school and home life, both of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from that point. Should all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. What could be a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, which is also included). However, due to a break in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each embodying a different story style. You'll find a investigative story about a priest looking into the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to eradicate destitution through the force of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a hero with an unknown past, of course). A few of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.