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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. While it might not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of big-name day-one releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a vast library of numerous games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

Our current picks include a cathartic action game, an prize-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players intensely graphic carnage targeting enemy targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as always, featuring the game's signature killcam displaying each shot's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for any pacifist looking to let off steam in the safety of a virtual world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story exploring post-pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from there. If all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a killing. Is there a more compelling opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, also available). But, with a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, every one representing a different genre. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric investigating the murder of his church's head priest. A trader striving to eradicate destitution through the force of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because every good RPGs require a hero with an mysterious past, of course). Some of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed world. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.