🔗 Share this article

After the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. Although it might not be considered the absolute best deal in gaming anymore, the service has welcomed a number of big-name day-one games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those titles only enhance a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, we all require a bit of catharsis. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter series presents players intensely graphic carnage against enemy targets. This year, the studio launched Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with enemy targets. The long-range combat is as visceral and gratifying as always, featuring the series' signature killcam displaying every bullet's impact in gory, explicit detail. It's a violent excitement for any peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a virtual space.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed narrative exploring life after a pandemic life, generational trauma, and much more. It examines these subjects through a sci-fi lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of several clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that eradicated human life. Watcher and her fellow clones explore Iris's memories from when Earth was beset by that terrible disease, along with memories of her school and home life, neither of which were easy for a young person. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the plot develops from that point. If all that mystery fails to hook you, the game indeed start with a murder. What could be a more gripping start than that?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a extremely long RPG in just nine days is a challenging task, but if there's any game deserving attempting the effort for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, also available). But, due to a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the U.S., it's technically achievable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows 8 characters, each embodying a distinct story style. You'll find a procedural tale about a cleric investigating the murder of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to solve destitution through the force of capitalism headlines a western-themed narrative. There's even a enigma about an apothecary with amnesia (because every good RPGs need a hero with an mysterious past, naturally). Some of these stories connect in surprising, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century themed setting. And the battle system is excellent — “number go up” boiled to its purest form.