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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. Although it may not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming now, the platform has welcomed several big-name launch day releases recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a massive library of hundreds games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a bit of release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players ultraviolent mayhem against enemy targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II open environments packed with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the series' signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a bloody excitement for every pacifist wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on post-pandemic existence, family trauma, and much more. It examines these themes through a sci-fi lens; 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 explore Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that terrible disease, as well as experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from there. If all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed begin with a murder. Is there a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in only 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 gem 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 midst, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, each representing a distinct story style. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric looking into the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate poverty through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (since all great RPGs need a character with an unknown background, of course). A few of these plots intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century themed setting. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.