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After Microsoft's recent announcement of Xbox Game Pass subscription changes, including a cost hike for the top tier to $30 per month, numerous members are looking for new ways to maximize their membership. For those holding onto their subscription or considering signing up, we present our latest recommendations.

Our selected games include a beloved JRPG, a charming independent journey, and a superb puzzle game scheduled to leave the platform shortly.

Persona 4 Golden

Among the top methods to get your money's worth from Game Pass is by immersing yourself in a extensive, engaging role-playing game — and Persona 4 Golden matches that description exactly. You take on the part of a high school student who has relocated to the quiet rural town of Inaba. By day, your goals include making friendships, taking on employment, and keeping up with schoolwork. By night, you investigate a disturbing string of murders by exploring strange locations based on your companions' deepest insecurities.

With a memorable group of heroes, tactical turn-based combat, flawless visuals, and a plot full of twists, Persona 4: The Golden Edition is considered a masterpiece for good reason. It also features a incredibly addictive gameplay loop that will have you playing past bedtime, repeatedly.

Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato

While major releases like Ninja Gaiden IV are a primary attraction for Game Pass, the platform also showcases smaller indie gems. A perfect example of this is Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato. Inspired by the animated classic, this charming indie game is a magical realist journey rooted in Latin American culture. Players join Miho, who, after assisting his grandma prepare soup, is pulled into a vibrant world populated by potato-stealing frogs and various quirky animals.

Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato unfolds similar to an learning-focused PC game from the 1990s, as Miho tackles puzzles and aids the world's inhabitants by collecting an inventory of objects. Though it's a little rough around the edges, Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato is a heartwarming small experience that openly celebrates its love for the region's culture.

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure is scheduled to exit the service on Oct. 15, giving you only a short time to experience it via your membership — and you definitely must. Developer the creators crafted one of the best puzzlers of recent years in 2023's Cocoon. Its core puzzle mechanic revolves around transitioning among realms inside additional worlds, and often you'll transport those realms, in the form of vibrant spheres, alongside you.

Although it lacks explicit instructions, everything about Cocoon's challenges is built in a very intuitive manner, yet they will test you as well. The year 2023 proved a big year for games, so it's no surprise if Cocoon was somewhat missed by the masses. Let's correct that now.