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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be seen as the top deal in gaming anymore, the service has introduced a number of high-profile day-one games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a vast collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

Our current recommendations include a therapeutic action game, an prize-winning independent gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy targets. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance remains a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with enemy objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in gory, explicit detail. It's a violent thrill for any peace-lover looking to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on life after a pandemic existence, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It approaches these themes through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, along with experiences of her education and family life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the plot develops from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). However, with a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, each embodying a different genre. There's a investigative story about a cleric looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader aiming to solve destitution through the power of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (since every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these stories connect in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed world. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.