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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has calmed down. While it may not be seen as the top deal in gaming anymore, the service has introduced a number of high-profile launch day games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a massive collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

Our current picks include a cathartic action game, an prize-winning indie masterpiece, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a little catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series offers players intensely graphic carnage against Nazi targets. Recently, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of immersive sim World War II sandboxes filled with Nazi targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as ever, featuring the series' trademark killcam displaying every bullet's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody excitement for every pacifist looking to unwind in the security of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning narrative exploring post-pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a science fiction lens; you play as Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible plague, along with memories of her school and home life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the story develops from that point. If all that mystery isn't enough to hook you, the game indeed start with a killing. What could be a more gripping opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if any game deserving trying 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 first game, also available). But, due to a break in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, each representing a different story style. You'll find a investigative story about a cleric looking into the death of his church's archbishop. A trader aiming to eradicate poverty through the force of capitalism stars in a western-themed adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (since all great RPGs need a hero with an mysterious background, naturally). Some of these stories connect in surprising, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired setting. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its purest form.