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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. While it might not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several high-profile launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich 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.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting enemy forces. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with enemy targets. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's trademark killcam showing every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for every peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story exploring post-pandemic existence, family trauma, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, one of multiple 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 terrible plague, as well as memories of her education and home life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the plot develops from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a extremely long 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 close of the month (along with the original game, also available). However, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, every one representing a distinct story style. You'll find a procedural story about a cleric looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader aiming to eradicate destitution through the power of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (because all great RPGs require a character with an mysterious background, of course). A few of these plots connect in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a stunning Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.