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Following the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. While it might not be considered the top offer in gaming now, the platform has welcomed a number of high-profile day-one releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, everyone needs a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem targeting Nazi targets. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with enemy objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as ever, featuring the series' signature killcam displaying each shot's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent excitement for any peace-lover looking to let off steam in the safety of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring post-pandemic life, generational pain, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as memories of her education and family life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does start with a murder. What could be a more gripping start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game worth trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, also available). However, with a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, every one embodying a different story style. There's a investigative tale about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A trader aiming to eradicate poverty through the power of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (because all great RPGs require a hero with an unknown background, of course). Some of these stories intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired setting. And the battle system is superb — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.