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After the company's latest news of Xbox Game Pass subscription updates, including a price increase for the top tier to $30 monthly, many members are seeking fresh methods to get the most from their subscription. For those holding onto their membership or considering joining, here are this week's picks.

This weekend's titles feature a acclaimed JRPG, a delightful indie adventure, and a superb puzzler scheduled to depart from the platform shortly.

Persona 4: The Golden Edition

Among the top methods to maximize value from Game Pass is by diving into a extensive, engaging role-playing game — and Persona 4: The Golden Edition matches that bill exactly. Players take on the part of a high school student who has relocated to the sleepy rural town of Inaba. During the day, your goals involve making friendships, taking on part-time jobs, and managing studies. At night, you investigate a chilling string of murders by exploring unique locations based on your friends' inner fears.

With a unforgettable cast of characters, strategic turn-based combat, impeccable art design, and a plot full of twists, Persona 4 Golden is considered a classic for many reasons. It also boasts a incredibly engrossing gameplay loop that will keep you up late into the night, repeatedly.

Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato

While major titles like Ninja Gaiden 4 are a key selling point for Game Pass, the platform also showcases lesser-known indie gems. A perfect instance of this is Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato. Inspired by Spirited Away, this charming independent game is a fantasy journey steeped in Latin American culture. Players join Miho, who, after assisting his grandma make soup, is transported to a colorful realm populated by potato-nabbing frogs and other eccentric animals.

Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato plays out like an educational PC game from the 90s, as Miho solves challenges and aids the realm's inhabitants by collecting an inventory of objects. Even if it's a little rough around the edges, Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato is a heartwarming little game that openly showcases its appreciation for the region's culture.

Cocoon

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure is set to exit the service on Oct. 15, leaving only a few days to play it via subscription — and you absolutely should. Developer the creators designed one of the best puzzlers of this generation in 2023's Cocoon. Its central puzzle mechanic revolves around transitioning between realms inside additional worlds, 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 puzzles is designed in a very natural manner, yet they will test you as well. 2023 was a massive period for games, so it's understandable if Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure was somewhat overlooked by many players. Let's rectify that while we can.