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After Microsoft's recent announcement of Xbox Game Pass membership changes, including a price increase for the Ultimate Tier to $30 monthly, many members are looking for fresh ways to get the most from their membership. For those keeping their subscription or thinking about joining, here are this week's recommendations.

Our selected titles feature a beloved JRPG, a delightful independent adventure, and a brilliant puzzler scheduled to leave the platform soon.

Persona 4 Golden

Among the best methods to get your money's worth from your subscription is by diving into a lengthy, engaging role-playing game — and Persona 4: The Golden Edition fits that description exactly. Players take on the part of a teenager who has just moved to the quiet countryside of Inaba. During the day, your objectives include forming friendships, taking on employment, and managing studies. At night, you work to solve a disturbing serial murder case by venturing into unique locations based on your friends' inner fears.

With a unforgettable cast of characters, strategic battle system, flawless visuals, and a storyline packed with surprises, Persona 4 Golden is regarded as a masterpiece for many reasons. It also boasts a incredibly addictive gameplay loop that will have you playing past bedtime, repeatedly.

Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato

Although big releases like Ninja Gaiden IV are a key attraction for the service, the platform also highlights smaller games. A great example of this is Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato. Drawing from the animated classic, this enchanting indie adventure is a magical realist tale rooted in South American culture. You join Miho, who, after helping his grandma make soup, is pulled into a vibrant realm filled with potato-stealing frogs and other eccentric animals.

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

Cocoon

Cocoon is set to leave the service on October 15, leaving only a few days to play it via subscription — and you absolutely should. Developer the creators designed one of the finest puzzlers of recent years in 2023's Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure. Its central puzzle mechanic focuses on transitioning between realms within additional dimensions, and frequently you'll carry those worlds, in the shape of vibrant orbs, alongside you.

Although it doesn't have explicit instructions, everything about Cocoon's challenges is designed in a highly natural way, yet they can test you as well. The year 2023 proved a massive year for games, so it's no surprise if Cocoon was somewhat missed by many players. We should rectify that now.