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After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has subsided. While it may not be seen as the top deal in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several high-profile day-one games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions only enhance a massive library of numerous games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series presents players intensely graphic carnage against enemy forces. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance remains a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi objectives. The long-range combat is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's impact in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody thrill for every pacifist wanting to unwind in the security of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It approaches these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's recollections from the time Earth was beset by that horrific plague, along with memories of her education and home life, both of which were bearable for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story unfolds from there. Should all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game indeed start with a murder. What could be a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, completing a extremely long RPG in only over a week is a challenging task, but if any game deserving trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, also available). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, every one embodying a distinct story style. There's a investigative story about a priest looking into the death of his church's head priest. A trader aiming to solve poverty through the force of commerce headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because every good RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). Some of these plots connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its essence.