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Following the recent price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. Although it might not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed several big-name launch day games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a massive library of numerous games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, everyone needs a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players intensely graphic mayhem targeting enemy targets. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a polished dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as ever, featuring the game's trademark killcam displaying each shot's impact in graphic, explicit detail. It's a violent thrill for any pacifist looking to let off steam in the security of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic life, generational pain, and other deep themes. It approaches these themes through a science fiction lens; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that horrific plague, along with experiences of her education and family life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from there. Should all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. Is there a more compelling opening than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days 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 leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, also available). However, with a break in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, every one embodying a distinct story style. There's a investigative story about a cleric investigating the death of his church's head priest. A merchant aiming to eradicate poverty through the power of capitalism stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (because all great RPGs need a hero with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its purest form.