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After the company's recent announcement of Game Pass subscription updates, including a price increase for the Ultimate Tier to $30 per month, many members are seeking new ways to maximize their membership. For those keeping their membership or thinking about joining, here are this week's recommendations.

This weekend's titles include a acclaimed Japanese role-playing game, a delightful indie journey, and a superb puzzle game set to depart from the service shortly.

Persona 4 Golden

Among the top ways to maximize value from Game Pass is by immersing yourself in a lengthy, captivating role-playing game — and Persona 4: The Golden Edition matches that bill perfectly. Players take on the part of a high school student who has relocated to the quiet countryside of Inaba. During the day, your goals involve forming new friends, taking on part-time jobs, and managing schoolwork. At night, you investigate a disturbing serial murder case by exploring unique locations themed around your companions' deepest insecurities.

With a unforgettable cast of characters, strategic battle system, impeccable art design, and a storyline full of surprises, Persona 4: The Golden Edition is regarded as a masterpiece for many reasons. It also boasts a highly 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 IV are a primary attraction for Game Pass, the subscription also showcases smaller indie gems. A great example of this is Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato. Inspired by Spirited Away, this enchanting independent game is a fantasy journey steeped in Latin American culture. You follow Miho, who, after helping his grandmother make soup, is transported to a colorful world populated by potato-stealing frogs and other quirky creatures.

Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato plays out like an learning-focused computer title from the 1990s, as Miho tackles puzzles and helps the realm's inhabitants by gathering an inventory of objects. Though it's a little rough around the edges, Sopa is a sweet little experience that openly celebrates its love for South America.

Cocoon

Cocoon is set to leave the service on Oct. 15, giving you only a few days to play it via your membership — and you definitely should. Developer the creators crafted one of the finest puzzlers of this generation in 2023's Cocoon. Its central gameplay element revolves around transitioning among worlds within other worlds, and frequently you'll transport those worlds, in the shape of vibrant orbs, with you.

While it doesn't have direct instructions, everything about Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure's challenges is designed in a highly natural manner, yet they will challenge you as well. The year 2023 proved a massive period for games, so it's understandable if Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure was a bit overlooked by many players. We should correct that now.