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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. Although it may not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming now, the platform has welcomed a number of high-profile day-one games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive library of hundreds games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

Our current picks include a therapeutic shooter, an prize-winning indie masterpiece, and a essential 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 delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players ultraviolent mayhem targeting enemy targets. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished dose of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as always, featuring the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in graphic, explicit detail. It's a bloody excitement for every pacifist looking to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's memories from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific disease, as well as experiences of her education and home life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. If all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game indeed begin with a murder. Is there a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, which is also included). However, due to a break in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, every one representing a different story style. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A merchant striving to solve poverty through the force of commerce headlines a western-themed narrative. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (because all great RPGs require a character with an mysterious background, naturally). A few of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired world. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.