Following Microsoft's recent news of Game Pass membership changes, including a cost hike for the Ultimate Tier to $thirty per month, numerous members are looking for new ways to maximize their subscription. For those holding onto their membership or considering joining, we present this week's picks.
Our selected games feature a acclaimed Japanese role-playing game, a charming indie adventure, and a brilliant puzzle game set to leave the service soon.
One of the best ways to get your money's worth from your subscription is by immersing yourself in a lengthy, engaging RPG — and Persona 4 Golden fits that bill perfectly. You take on the role of a teenager who has relocated to the quiet rural town of Inaba. During the day, your objectives involve making friendships, working part-time jobs, and managing studies. At night, you investigate a disturbing string of murders by venturing into unique dungeons themed around your companions' inner fears.
With a unforgettable group of heroes, strategic turn-based combat, impeccable visuals, and a plot packed with twists, Persona 4 Golden is regarded as a classic for many reasons. It also features a highly engrossing cycle that will have you playing past bedtime, night after night.
While big titles like Ninja Gaiden IV are a key attraction for the service, the subscription also highlights lesser-known games. A perfect instance of this is Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato. Inspired by Spirited Away, this enchanting independent adventure is a magical realist tale rooted in Latin American traditions. Players follow Miho, who, after helping his grandmother prepare soup, is pulled into a vibrant realm filled with potato-stealing frogs and other quirky animals.
Sopa plays out similar to an learning-focused computer title from the 90s, as Miho tackles puzzles and helps the realm's residents by collecting an inventory of objects. Though it's a little unpolished, Sopa is a sweet small game that openly showcases its love for South America.
Cocoon is set to leave Game Pass on Oct. 15, giving you only a short time to play it via subscription — and you absolutely should. Developer Geometric Interactive designed one of the best puzzlers of recent years in 2023's Cocoon. Its core gameplay element focuses on transitioning between realms within additional worlds, and often you'll carry those realms, in the shape of vibrant orbs, with you.
Although it lacks explicit instructions, everything about Cocoon's puzzles is built in a highly natural manner, yet they will challenge you as well. 2023 was a big period for video games, so it's understandable if Cocoon was somewhat missed by many players. We should rectify that while we can.
A seasoned gaming enthusiast with over a decade of experience in lottery analysis and casino reviews.
