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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. Although it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the service has welcomed several high-profile launch day releases lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a vast collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

From time to time, everyone needs a bit of release. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem targeting enemy targets. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance remains a polished dose of immersive sim World War II open environments filled with enemy objectives. The long-range combat is as brutal and gratifying as ever, with the series' trademark killcam showing every bullet's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a bloody excitement for every peace-lover wanting to unwind in the security of a digital space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative touching on post-pandemic life, generational pain, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a science fiction perspective; you play as Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, along with memories of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not all that she seems, and the story develops from that point. Should all that intrigue isn't enough to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the original game, which is also included). But, with a break in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, every one representing a distinct genre. There's a procedural story about a cleric investigating the death of his church's head priest. A merchant striving to eradicate poverty through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a enigma about an herbalist with amnesia (since every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these stories intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution inspired world. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its essence.