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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it may not be seen as the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed a number of big-name day-one releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a vast collection of numerous games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players ultraviolent mayhem against Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as brutal and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's signature killcam displaying each shot's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for every peace-lover wanting to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic existence, generational pain, and much more. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that horrific disease, along with experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from there. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if any game deserving attempting 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, also available). But, with a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, every one embodying a distinct story style. You'll find a investigative story about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A trader aiming to solve destitution through the power of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious background, of course). Some of these plots intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.