🔗 Share this article

Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial commotion has subsided. Although it might not be considered the top offer in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several high-profile launch day games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a massive library of numerous games perfect for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players intensely graphic mayhem against Nazi forces. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished serving of simulation World War II sandboxes filled with Nazi objectives. The sniping is as visceral and gratifying as always, with the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, testicle-crunching detail. It's a bloody thrill for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the security of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist presents an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It examines these themes through a sci-fi lens; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a global outbreak that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, along with memories of her school and home life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from there. If all that mystery fails to grab your interest, the game indeed begin with a murder. Is there a more compelling opening than this?

Octopath Traveler 2

Admittedly, completing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (along with the first game, which is also included). However, with a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the States, it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, each embodying a distinct genre. You'll find a procedural tale about a priest investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to solve destitution through the power of capitalism stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an apothecary with amnesia (because every good RPGs need a hero with an unknown past, of course). Some of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its essence.