Following Microsoft's recent announcement of Xbox Game Pass membership updates, featuring a price increase for the top tier to $30 per month, numerous members are seeking fresh methods to maximize their membership. For those keeping their subscription or considering signing up, here are this week's picks.
Our selected games feature a beloved Japanese role-playing game, a delightful indie adventure, and a brilliant puzzle game set to leave the platform soon.
Among the top ways to maximize value from Game Pass is by immersing yourself in a extensive, engaging RPG — and Persona 4 Golden fits that description exactly. Players take on the role of a teenager who has relocated to the quiet countryside of Inaba. By day, your objectives include making new friends, taking on part-time jobs, and keeping up with studies. At night, you work to solve a disturbing serial murder case by exploring strange dungeons themed around your companions' inner fears.
With a memorable cast of characters, tactical battle system, flawless visuals, and a plot full of twists, Persona 4 Golden is considered a classic for many reasons. It also boasts a incredibly addictive gameplay loop that will keep you up late into the night, night after night.
While big releases like Ninja Gaiden IV are a primary attraction for the service, the platform also showcases lesser-known indie gems. A perfect instance of this is Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato. Drawing from Spirited Away, this charming indie adventure is a magical realist tale steeped in South American traditions. You follow Miho, who, after assisting his grandmother make soup, is transported to a colorful realm populated by potato-stealing frogs and various eccentric animals.
Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato plays out like an educational computer title from the 1990s, as Miho tackles challenges and aids the world's residents by gathering an assortment of items. Though it's a bit unpolished, Sopa is a heartwarming small game that proudly celebrates its love for South America.
Cocoon is set to exit the service on October 15, leaving only a few days to play it via subscription — and you absolutely must. Developer the creators crafted one of the best puzzlers of this generation in the 2023 release Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure. Its central puzzle mechanic revolves around moving between worlds inside additional worlds, and frequently you'll carry those realms, in the form of vibrant orbs, alongside you.
Although it doesn't have direct guidance, everything about Cocoon's puzzles is designed in a very natural manner, yet they can test you as well. 2023 was a big year for games, so it's understandable if Cocoon was a bit overlooked by many players. Let's correct that while we can.
A passionate gamer and strategy enthusiast with years of experience in competitive gaming and content creation.
