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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. Although it might not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming now, the platform has introduced a number of high-profile day-one releases recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles further enrich a vast library of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players intensely graphic carnage against enemy forces. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a polished serving of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as ever, featuring the game's signature killcam displaying every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the security of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, generational pain, and other deep themes. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that horrific disease, along with experiences of her school and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from there. If all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a killing. Is there a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game worth attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, which is also included). But, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 protagonists, every one representing a different genre. There's a investigative story about a cleric looking into the murder of his cathedral's head priest. A trader aiming to solve poverty through the power of commerce stars in a western-themed adventure. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a hero with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired world. And the combat is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.