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After Microsoft's latest news of Xbox Game Pass subscription changes, featuring a cost hike for the top tier to $30 per month, numerous subscribers are looking for fresh methods to get the most from their subscription. For those holding onto their membership or considering joining, we present this week's picks.

This weekend's games include a beloved JRPG, a delightful indie journey, and a superb puzzler set to depart from the service shortly.

Persona 4 Golden

One of the top ways to get your money's worth from your subscription is by diving into a extensive, engaging role-playing game — and Persona 4 Golden fits that bill perfectly. Players step into the role of a high school student who has relocated to the quiet rural town of Inaba. During the day, your objectives include forming friendships, working employment, and managing schoolwork. At night, you investigate a chilling string of murders by exploring strange locations based on your companions' inner fears.

With a unforgettable cast of characters, tactical battle system, flawless visuals, and a plot packed with twists, Persona 4: The Golden Edition is considered a masterpiece for many reasons. It also boasts a highly addictive cycle that will have you playing past bedtime, night after night.

Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato

While major titles like Ninja Gaiden 4 are a primary attraction for Game Pass, the subscription also highlights lesser-known games. A great example of this is Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato. Drawing from Spirited Away, this enchanting indie adventure is a fantasy tale steeped in South American traditions. Players follow Miho, who, after assisting his grandmother make soup, is transported to a vibrant realm populated by potato-stealing frogs and other quirky animals.

Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato unfolds similar to an learning-focused computer title from the 1990s, as Miho solves challenges and aids the world's inhabitants by collecting an assortment of items. Even if it's a little rough around the edges, Sopa is a heartwarming small experience that openly showcases its appreciation for South America.

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure

Cocoon is set to exit Game Pass on Oct. 15, giving you only a few days to play it via your membership — and you definitely must. Developer Geometric Interactive crafted one of the finest puzzlers of this generation in 2023's Cocoon. Its central puzzle mechanic revolves around transitioning among worlds inside other worlds, and often you'll carry those realms, in the form of vibrant spheres, alongside you.

While it doesn't have explicit guidance, everything about Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure's puzzles is designed in a highly intuitive manner, though they will challenge you as well. 2023 was a big year for games, so it's no surprise if Cocoon was a bit overlooked by the masses. Let's rectify that while we can.