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Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. While it may not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced a number of high-profile day-one games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast library of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

Our current picks include a therapeutic action game, an award-winning independent gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players intensely graphic carnage targeting enemy targets. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the series. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying every bullet's effect in gory, explicit clarity. It's a violent excitement for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the security of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on post-pandemic existence, generational trauma, and much more. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of multiple clones of Iris, the only person left of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her school and home life, both of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot develops from there. Should all that mystery fails to hook you, the game does start with a murder. Is there a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, which is also included). But, with a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, every one embodying a distinct story style. You'll find a procedural story about a cleric looking into the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant aiming to eradicate poverty through the power of commerce headlines a western-themed narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a character with an unknown past, naturally). Some of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.