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Following Microsoft's latest announcement of Xbox Game Pass subscription updates, featuring a cost hike for the top tier to $30 per month, many subscribers are seeking new methods to maximize their subscription. For those keeping their subscription or considering joining, we present this week's picks.

Our selected games feature a beloved JRPG, a delightful independent journey, and a superb puzzle game scheduled to depart from the platform soon.

Persona 4 Golden

Among the top methods to get your money's worth from your subscription is by immersing yourself in a lengthy, captivating role-playing game — and Persona 4 Golden matches that bill exactly. You step into the part of a teenager who has just moved to the sleepy countryside of Inaba. By day, your objectives involve making new friends, working part-time jobs, and managing schoolwork. At night, you work to solve a chilling serial murder case by exploring unique locations based on your companions' inner fears.

With a memorable cast of characters, strategic turn-based combat, flawless visuals, and a storyline packed with twists, Persona 4: The Golden Edition is regarded as a classic for good reason. It also features a highly addictive gameplay loop that will keep you up late into the night, repeatedly.

Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato

While major releases like Ninja Gaiden IV are a key attraction for Game Pass, the platform also showcases smaller games. A great instance of this is Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato. Inspired by the animated classic, this enchanting independent adventure is a magical realist journey steeped in South American culture. You follow Miho, who, after helping his grandma make soup, is pulled into a vibrant realm populated by potato-nabbing frogs and various quirky creatures.

Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato unfolds like an educational PC game from the 90s, as Miho solves puzzles and helps the world's residents by gathering an assortment of objects. Even if it's a little rough around the edges, Sopa is a heartwarming little game that proudly showcases its appreciation for the region's culture.

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure is scheduled to leave the service on Oct. 15, leaving only a short time to experience it via subscription — and you definitely should. Developer the creators designed one of the best puzzle games of this generation in 2023's Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure. Its central gameplay element focuses on transitioning between realms inside other dimensions, and often you'll transport those worlds, in the form of colorful spheres, alongside you.

Although it doesn't have explicit instructions, everything about Cocoon's challenges is designed in a highly intuitive way, yet they will challenge you as well. The year 2023 proved a big period for video games, so it's understandable if Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure was somewhat overlooked by the masses. Let's correct that while we can.