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After the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. Although it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed a number of big-name launch day games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a massive collection of numerous games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

Our current recommendations feature a cathartic action game, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players ultraviolent carnage against Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, with the series' signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent excitement for every peace-lover looking to let off steam in the security of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story exploring life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It examines these themes through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, along with experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot develops from that point. If all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a killing. Is there a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, which is also included). However, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each representing a different story style. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader aiming to solve destitution through the force of commerce headlines a western-themed narrative. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (because all great RPGs require a hero with an unknown past, naturally). Some of these plots intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired setting. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” distilled to its essence.