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After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be seen as the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed a number of high-profile launch day releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These titles only enhance a massive library of hundreds games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players ultraviolent carnage targeting Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as ever, with the game's trademark killcam showing every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover looking to let off steam in the security of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning story exploring life after a pandemic life, family trauma, and much more. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. If all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game does start with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if any game deserving attempting the grind 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). However, due to a break in the midst, at least for those in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 characters, each embodying a distinct story style. You'll find a procedural tale about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to solve poverty through the power of capitalism headlines a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an apothecary with amnesia (since every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these plots intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed world. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its essence.