🔗 Share this article

After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier uproar has calmed down. Although it may not be seen as the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the platform has welcomed a number of big-name launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles further enrich a massive collection of hundreds games perfect for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's picks include a therapeutic action game, an award-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a little catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players ultraviolent mayhem targeting Nazi forces. This year, Rebellion launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed new entry to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a well-constructed dose of simulation World War II sandboxes packed with Nazi targets. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, with the game's trademark killcam displaying each shot's effect in graphic, explicit clarity. It's a violent thrill for every peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the safety of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an award-winning story touching on life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and other deep themes. It examines these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole survivor of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was ravaged by that terrible disease, as well as memories of her school and home life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris is not what she appears, and the plot develops from that point. Should all that intrigue fails to hook you, the game does start with a murder. Is there a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if any game worth trying the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is leaving Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the first game, which is also included). But, due to a holiday in the middle, at least for players in the U.S., it's theoretically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 features 8 protagonists, each embodying a distinct genre. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric investigating the death of his church's head priest. A trader aiming to solve poverty through the force of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a enigma about an herbalist with memory loss (since every good RPGs need a hero with an mysterious past, of course). Some of these plots connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, while you progress through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired setting. And the battle system is superb — stat-focused gameplay boiled to its purest form.