🔗 Share this article

After Microsoft's latest announcement of Game Pass subscription changes, featuring a cost hike for the top tier to $thirty per month, many subscribers are seeking new methods to get the most from their membership. For those holding onto their membership or thinking about signing up, here are our latest picks.

This weekend's titles feature a beloved Japanese role-playing game, a delightful indie journey, and a superb puzzler set to leave the service soon.

Persona 4 Golden

One of the top methods to get your money's worth from Game Pass is by diving into a lengthy, engaging RPG — and Persona 4 Golden matches that bill exactly. Players step into the role of a high school student who has just moved to the sleepy rural town of Inaba. During the day, your objectives include making friendships, taking on part-time jobs, and keeping up with schoolwork. At night, you work to solve a disturbing serial murder case by exploring strange locations based on your companions' inner fears.

With a unforgettable group of heroes, strategic turn-based combat, impeccable art design, and a storyline full of twists, Persona 4 Golden is considered a masterpiece for good reason. It also features a highly engrossing cycle that will have you playing late into the night, repeatedly.

Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato

While major titles like Ninja Gaiden IV are a primary attraction for Game Pass, the subscription also highlights lesser-known indie gems. A great example of this is Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato. Drawing from the animated classic, this charming independent adventure is a fantasy journey steeped in South American culture. You join Miho, who, after assisting his grandma prepare soup, is transported to a vibrant realm populated by potato-nabbing frogs and other quirky creatures.

Sopa unfolds similar to an learning-focused computer title from the 90s, as Miho solves challenges and helps the world's residents by collecting an inventory of items. Even if it's a little rough around the edges, Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato is a sweet small game that openly celebrates its appreciation for the region's culture.

Cocoon

Cocoon is scheduled to exit Game Pass on Oct. 15, leaving only a short time to experience it via your membership — and you definitely should. Developer the creators crafted one of the best puzzlers of recent years in the 2023 release Cocoon. Its core puzzle mechanic revolves around transitioning among realms within additional dimensions, and frequently you'll transport those realms, in the shape of colorful orbs, alongside you.

While it doesn't have explicit guidance, everything about Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure's puzzles is built in a highly natural way, though they will challenge you as well. The year 2023 proved a massive year for video games, so it's understandable if Cocoon was a bit missed by the masses. We should rectify that now.