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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has calmed down. Although it may not be considered the top deal in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several big-name day-one games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

Our current recommendations feature a therapeutic action game, an prize-winning indie gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players ultraviolent carnage targeting Nazi forces. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as always, with the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody excitement for any pacifist wanting to unwind in the security of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, generational pain, and other deep themes. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her school and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the plot unfolds from that point. Should all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a murder. What could be a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, completing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, which is also included). However, due to a break in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, every one representing a different story style. There's a procedural story about a cleric looking into the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant aiming to solve destitution through the power of capitalism headlines a western-themed adventure. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with amnesia (since every good RPGs need a hero with an unknown past, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired world. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.