3 Game Pass Games We're Playing Over the Weekend (October 10-12)

Following Microsoft's latest announcement of Xbox Game Pass subscription changes, featuring a price increase for the Ultimate Tier to $thirty monthly, numerous subscribers are looking for new methods to get the most from their membership. If you keeping their subscription or thinking about signing up, here are this week's picks.

This weekend's titles feature a acclaimed JRPG, a charming independent adventure, and a brilliant puzzle game set to leave the platform shortly.

Persona 4: The Golden Edition

Among the top 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 perfectly. You step into the part of a teenager who has relocated to the sleepy countryside of Inaba. By day, your goals include forming friendships, taking on part-time jobs, and managing schoolwork. By night, you work to solve a disturbing serial murder case by exploring strange locations themed around your friends' deepest insecurities.

With a unforgettable group of heroes, tactical turn-based combat, flawless art design, and a storyline packed with twists, Persona 4 Golden is regarded as a classic for good reason. It also boasts a highly addictive cycle that will keep you up past bedtime, repeatedly.

Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato

Although major titles like Ninja Gaiden IV are a primary attraction for the service, the platform also highlights lesser-known indie gems. A great example of this is Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato. Drawing from Spirited Away, this charming independent adventure is a magical realist tale rooted in South American culture. Players follow Miho, who, after assisting his grandmother make soup, is pulled into a vibrant realm filled with potato-stealing frogs and various eccentric creatures.

Sopa unfolds similar to an learning-focused PC game from the 90s, as Miho solves puzzles and aids the realm's residents by gathering an assortment of objects. Though it's a bit unpolished, Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato is a heartwarming little game that openly showcases its appreciation for the region's culture.

Cocoon

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure is set to leave the service on October 15, giving you only a few days to experience it via subscription — and you definitely must. Studio the creators crafted one of the finest puzzlers of recent years in the 2023 release Cocoon. Its core puzzle mechanic revolves around transitioning between worlds within other worlds, and often you'll carry those worlds, in the shape of vibrant orbs, with you.

While it lacks direct instructions, everything about Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure's challenges is built in a very natural manner, yet they will test you as well. 2023 was a big year for video games, so it's no surprise if Cocoon was somewhat overlooked by the masses. We should correct that while we can.