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Following Microsoft's recent announcement of Xbox Game Pass membership changes, featuring a cost hike for the Ultimate Tier to $30 monthly, numerous subscribers are looking for new methods to get the most from their subscription. For those holding onto their subscription or thinking about signing up, here are our latest picks.

Our selected games feature a acclaimed JRPG, a charming independent adventure, and a superb puzzler scheduled to leave the platform shortly.

Persona 4: The Golden Edition

Among the best ways to get your money's worth from Game Pass is by diving into a lengthy, captivating RPG — and Persona 4: The Golden Edition fits that bill exactly. Players take on the part of a high school student who has just moved to the quiet rural town of Inaba. During the day, your objectives involve forming friendships, taking on employment, and keeping up with schoolwork. At night, you work to solve a chilling string of murders by exploring unique locations based on your companions' inner fears.

With a unforgettable group of heroes, tactical turn-based combat, impeccable art design, and a storyline packed with surprises, Persona 4: The Golden Edition is considered a masterpiece for good reason. It also features a highly engrossing gameplay loop that will have you playing late into the night, repeatedly.

Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato

While major releases like Ninja Gaiden IV are a primary selling point for the service, the platform also highlights lesser-known games. A great instance of this is Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato. Drawing from Spirited Away, this charming indie game is a magical realist journey steeped in South American traditions. Players follow Miho, who, after assisting his grandmother prepare soup, is pulled into a colorful realm filled with potato-nabbing frogs and various quirky creatures.

Sopa unfolds similar to an educational PC game from the 1990s, as Miho solves puzzles and aids the world's inhabitants by gathering an assortment of objects. Though it's a bit unpolished, Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato is a sweet small game that openly celebrates its appreciation for the region's culture.

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure is set to exit Game Pass on October 15, giving you only a short time to experience it via subscription — and you definitely should. Developer Geometric Interactive crafted one of the best puzzlers of this generation in 2023's Cocoon. Its central gameplay element revolves around transitioning between worlds inside additional worlds, and often you'll transport those realms, in the shape of vibrant spheres, alongside you.

While it doesn't have explicit guidance, everything about Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure's puzzles is built in a very intuitive manner, though they can test you as well. The year 2023 proved a big year for games, so it's understandable if Cocoon was somewhat missed by the masses. We should rectify that now.