🔗 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 offer in gaming anymore, the platform has introduced several big-name launch day games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. Those additions further enrich a massive library of numerous games ideal for weekend marathon sessions.

This week's recommendations feature a therapeutic action game, an prize-winning independent masterpiece, and a essential HD-2D RPG.

Resistance: Sniper Elite

Every so often, everyone needs a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided exactly that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line offers players intensely graphic carnage against Nazi targets. This year, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely addition to the franchise. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance remains a well-constructed serving of simulation World War II open environments filled with enemy targets. The sniping is as brutal and satisfying as always, with the game's trademark killcam showing every bullet's effect in graphic, testicle-crunching clarity. It's a bloody excitement for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the security of a virtual world.

1000xResist

1000xResist presents an critically acclaimed story exploring post-pandemic existence, generational trauma, and much more. It examines these subjects through a science fiction lens; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the only survivor of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was beset by that terrible plague, as well as experiences of her education and home life, both of which were easy for a young person. Watcher discovers Iris is not what she appears, and the story develops from there. Should all that mystery isn't enough to grab your interest, the game does start with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just over a week is a challenging task, but if any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's visually striking masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the end of November (along with the first game, also available). But, with a holiday in the midst, at least for those in the U.S., it's technically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight protagonists, each embodying a distinct story style. You'll find a investigative tale about a cleric looking into the murder of his church's archbishop. A trader aiming to solve poverty through the force of capitalism headlines a frontier-inspired adventure. Additionally, there's a mystery about an herbalist with amnesia (since all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, naturally). A few of these stories intertwine in unexpected, intriguing ways, while you progress through a gorgeous Industrial Revolution themed setting. And the combat is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its purest form.