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After the company's recent announcement of Game Pass subscription changes, featuring a price increase for the Ultimate Tier to $30 per month, many subscribers are seeking fresh methods to maximize their subscription. For those holding onto their subscription or considering signing up, here are this week's recommendations.

This weekend's titles feature a acclaimed JRPG, a charming independent adventure, and a brilliant puzzle game set to leave the service soon.

Persona 4 Golden

One of the top methods to maximize value from Game Pass is by diving into a lengthy, captivating role-playing game — and Persona 4 Golden matches that bill perfectly. You step into the part of a high school student who has just moved to the quiet countryside of Inaba. By day, your objectives include forming new friends, taking on part-time jobs, and managing schoolwork. At night, you work to solve a disturbing serial murder case by exploring unique dungeons themed around your companions' deepest insecurities.

With a unforgettable cast of characters, tactical turn-based combat, impeccable visuals, and a storyline full of twists, Persona 4: The Golden Edition is considered a masterpiece for good reason. It also features a highly engrossing gameplay loop that will have you playing past bedtime, repeatedly.

Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato

Although major titles like Ninja Gaiden 4 are a key attraction for Game Pass, the subscription also showcases smaller indie gems. A great instance of this is Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato. Drawing from the animated classic, this enchanting independent adventure is a magical realist tale steeped in South American culture. Players join Miho, who, after helping his grandma make soup, is transported to a colorful realm filled with potato-stealing frogs and other quirky creatures.

Sopa unfolds like an educational PC game from the 1990s, as Miho solves puzzles and helps the realm's residents by gathering an assortment of items. Even if it's a bit unpolished, Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato is a heartwarming small experience that proudly showcases its love for South America.

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure

Cocoon is set to leave Game Pass on Oct. 15, leaving only a short time to play it via your membership — and you absolutely should. Studio the creators designed one of the best puzzlers of this generation in 2023's Cocoon. Its core puzzle mechanic revolves around transitioning among worlds inside additional worlds, and often you'll transport those realms, in the shape of vibrant orbs, alongside you.

While it doesn't have explicit guidance, everything about Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure's puzzles is built in a very natural way, though they can test you as well. 2023 was a massive year for games, so it's understandable if Cocoon was somewhat overlooked by the masses. We should correct that now.