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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. Although it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has introduced several big-name day-one releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast collection of numerous games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

Our current picks include a cathartic action game, an prize-winning indie gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players ultraviolent carnage targeting enemy forces. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished serving of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as always, featuring the series' signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in graphic, explicit detail. It's a bloody thrill for every peace-lover looking to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on post-pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her school and family life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from there. Should all that mystery fails to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, which is also included). But, with a break in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, every one embodying a different story style. There's a procedural tale about a priest looking into the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant aiming to eradicate poverty through the power of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (since all great RPGs require a character with an mysterious past, of course). Some of these plots connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its purest form.