🔗 Share this article

After the recent cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. Although it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several high-profile launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a massive collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

This week's picks include a therapeutic action game, an prize-winning independent masterpiece, 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 provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter series offers players ultraviolent carnage against enemy forces. Recently, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as ever, with the series' signature killcam displaying each shot's effect in gory, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a violent excitement for every peace-lover looking to let off steam in the security of a digital world.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative touching on life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a global outbreak that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that horrific plague, as well as memories of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a teenager. Watcher discovers Iris isn't what she appears, and the story develops from that point. If all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler 2

Yes, finishing a extremely long RPG in only nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game worth trying the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, also available). However, with a break in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each embodying a distinct genre. You'll find a procedural tale about a priest investigating the death of his church's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate poverty through the power of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with memory loss (because all great RPGs require a character with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these stories intertwine in surprising, fascinating ways, while you progress through a stunning Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” distilled to its purest form.