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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. Although it might not be seen as the top offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of high-profile day-one games lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a massive collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

Our current recommendations feature a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning indie gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players ultraviolent mayhem against Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished serving of simulation World War II open environments filled with enemy objectives. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as ever, with the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent thrill for any peace-lover looking to let off steam in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story exploring life after a pandemic existence, generational pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, along with experiences of her school and family life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the story 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 2

Yes, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the end of November (as is the first game, which is also included). But, due to a break in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, each embodying a different story style. There's a investigative tale about a priest looking into the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate poverty through the power of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a hero with an unknown background, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.