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Following Microsoft's recent announcement of Xbox Game Pass subscription updates, including a cost hike for the top tier to $30 monthly, numerous members are seeking new methods to get the most from their subscription. For those holding onto their membership or considering joining, here are our latest recommendations.

This weekend's titles feature a acclaimed Japanese role-playing game, a delightful indie journey, and a superb puzzler set to depart from the platform soon.

Persona 4 Golden

One of the top methods to maximize value from your subscription is by immersing yourself in a extensive, engaging RPG — and Persona 4: The Golden Edition fits that description perfectly. Players take on the part of a teenager who has just moved to the quiet countryside of Inaba. During the day, your goals involve making friendships, taking on part-time jobs, and keeping up with schoolwork. At night, you investigate a disturbing serial murder case by exploring unique dungeons themed around your companions' deepest insecurities.

With a memorable group of heroes, tactical battle system, flawless art design, and a storyline packed with surprises, Persona 4: The Golden Edition is regarded as a masterpiece for good reason. It also boasts a incredibly engrossing cycle that will have you playing past bedtime, repeatedly.

Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato

Although big titles like Ninja Gaiden IV are a primary selling point for the service, the platform also highlights smaller indie gems. A great example of this is Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato. Inspired by the animated classic, this charming indie game is a fantasy tale steeped in Latin American traditions. You join Miho, who, after helping his grandma make soup, is transported to a vibrant world filled with potato-stealing frogs and various quirky animals.

Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato unfolds similar to an learning-focused PC game from the 1990s, as Miho solves puzzles and helps the realm's residents by gathering an assortment of items. Though it's a bit rough around the edges, Sopa is a sweet small game that proudly showcases its appreciation for South America.

Cocoon

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure is scheduled to leave the service on Oct. 15, giving you only a few days to experience it via subscription — and you absolutely should. Studio Geometric Interactive crafted one of the finest puzzlers of this generation in the 2023 release Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure. Its core gameplay element focuses on transitioning between realms inside other worlds, and often you'll transport those realms, in the form of colorful orbs, with you.

While it doesn't have explicit instructions, everything about Cocoon's puzzles is designed in a very intuitive manner, yet they will challenge you as well. The year 2023 proved a massive period for video games, so it's no surprise if Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure was a bit missed by the masses. We should correct that while we can.