🔗 Share this article

Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has subsided. Although it might not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several big-name launch day games lately, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive library of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

This week's recommendations include a therapeutic shooter, an award-winning indie gem, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players ultraviolent mayhem targeting Nazi forces. Recently, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. Although it doesn't reinvent the gameplay, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, with the series' trademark killcam showing each shot's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching detail. It's a violent thrill for every pacifist looking to let off steam in the safety of a digital space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an award-winning story exploring life after a pandemic existence, family trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a science fiction lens; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that wiped out humanity. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's recollections from when Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, as well as experiences of her education and family life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot unfolds from that point. Should all that mystery fails to grab your interest, the game does start with a killing. What could be a more compelling start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just over a week is a tall order, but if there's any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem 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 those in the States, it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight characters, each representing a different story style. There's a procedural story about a priest looking into the death of his church's head priest. A trader striving to eradicate destitution through the force of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired narrative. There's even a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (since all great RPGs require a character with an mysterious background, of course). A few of these plots intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century inspired setting. And the combat is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.