🔗 Share this article

Following the latest price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, the initial uproar has calmed down. While it may not be considered the absolute best offer in gaming now, the platform has introduced a number of high-profile launch day games recently, such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast collection of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

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

Sniper Elite: Resistance

From time to time, we all require a little release. Over two decades, the Sniper Elite series has delivered precisely that. Rebellion Developments' long-running shooter line presents players intensely graphic mayhem against Nazi targets. This year, Rebellion released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a well-timed addition to the series. While it doesn't revolutionize the gameplay, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments filled with Nazi targets. The sniping is as brutal and gratifying as always, with the game's signature killcam showing every bullet's impact in gory, explicit clarity. It's a violent thrill for any peace-lover wanting to let off steam in the safety of a virtual space.

Resist 1000x

1000xResist tells an critically acclaimed story exploring post-pandemic life, family pain, and much more. It examines these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you play as Watcher, a member of several clones of Iris, the only person left of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her sister clones explore Iris's recollections from the time 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 discovers Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story unfolds from that point. Should all that intrigue fails to grab your interest, the game does begin with a killing. What could be a more compelling opening than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Admittedly, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in only nine days is a challenging task, but if any game worth attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D masterpiece is departing Game Pass at the close of the month (as is the original game, which is also included). But, with a holiday in the midst, at least for players in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 follows eight protagonists, every one representing a distinct story style. You'll find a procedural tale about a cleric looking into the murder of his church's head priest. A trader aiming to eradicate destitution through the power of commerce stars in a frontier-inspired adventure. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with memory loss (since all great RPGs need a character with an unknown background, naturally). A few of these stories connect in surprising, intriguing ways, as you play through a stunning 19th-century themed world. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.