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Following Microsoft's recent announcement of Xbox Game Pass subscription updates, featuring a cost hike for the Ultimate Tier to $30 per month, many members are seeking fresh ways to maximize their subscription. For those holding onto their membership or considering signing up, here are our latest recommendations.

This weekend's games include a beloved Japanese role-playing game, a delightful independent journey, and a superb puzzle game scheduled to depart from the platform soon.

Persona 4 Golden

Among the top ways to get your money's worth from Game Pass is by diving into a lengthy, engaging role-playing game — and Persona 4 Golden fits that bill perfectly. You step into the role of a teenager who has just moved to the quiet countryside of Inaba. During the day, your objectives include making new friends, working employment, and keeping up with schoolwork. At night, you investigate a disturbing string of murders by venturing into strange locations based on your companions' inner fears.

With a unforgettable group of heroes, strategic battle system, impeccable art design, and a plot full of twists, Persona 4 Golden is considered a classic for many reasons. It also features a incredibly addictive cycle that will keep you up late into the night, repeatedly.

Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato

While major releases like Ninja Gaiden 4 are a key attraction for the service, the subscription also showcases smaller indie gems. A great example of this is Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato. Drawing from Spirited Away, this enchanting indie adventure is a magical realist journey rooted in Latin American traditions. You follow Miho, who, after assisting his grandma make soup, is pulled into a vibrant world populated by potato-nabbing frogs and other quirky animals.

Sopa unfolds similar to an learning-focused computer title from the 90s, as Miho solves puzzles and aids the realm's inhabitants by gathering an assortment of items. Though it's a little rough around the edges, Sopa is a sweet little experience that proudly showcases its appreciation for South America.

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure is scheduled to leave Game Pass on Oct. 15, giving you only a short time to experience it via your membership — and you definitely should. Studio Geometric Interactive designed one of the finest puzzle games of recent years in the 2023 release Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure. Its core gameplay element revolves around moving between worlds inside additional dimensions, and often you'll transport those worlds, in the shape of colorful spheres, with you.

While it doesn't have explicit instructions, everything about Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure's challenges is built in a highly intuitive way, though they can challenge you as well. The year 2023 proved a massive year for games, so it's understandable if Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure was somewhat missed by many players. We should rectify that now.