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After the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming now, the platform has welcomed a number of big-name launch day releases lately, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a vast collection of numerous games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a little release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage against Nazi forces. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the series. Although it doesn't revolutionize the formula, Resistance is a polished serving of immersive sim World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as ever, with the series' signature killcam showing every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any pacifist wanting to unwind in the safety of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story touching on post-pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her education and home life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from that point. Should all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does start with a killing. Is there a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the end of November (as is the original game, also available). However, due to a break in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, every one representing a different story style. There's a procedural tale about a priest investigating the death of his cathedral's head priest. A merchant striving to solve poverty through the power of capitalism headlines a western-themed narrative. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with memory loss (since all great RPGs require a character with an unknown background, naturally). A few of these plots connect in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its purest form.