Three Game Pass Games We're Enjoying Over the Weekend (October 10-12)

Following the company's latest announcement of Game Pass subscription updates, featuring a cost hike for the Ultimate Tier to $30 per month, many members are seeking new methods to get the most from their subscription. If you keeping their subscription or thinking about signing up, we present this week's picks.

This weekend's games include a acclaimed JRPG, a charming independent journey, and a brilliant puzzle game scheduled to leave the service shortly.

Persona 4: The Golden Edition

Among the best ways to maximize value from your subscription is by diving into a extensive, engaging role-playing game — and Persona 4 Golden matches that bill exactly. You take on the part of a high school student who has just moved to the quiet rural town of Inaba. During the day, your goals involve making friendships, taking on employment, and managing schoolwork. By night, you work to solve a chilling serial murder case by venturing into strange dungeons themed around your companions' inner fears.

With a memorable cast of characters, tactical battle system, flawless art design, and a plot full of twists, Persona 4: The Golden Edition is regarded as a classic for many reasons. It also features a highly addictive cycle that will have you playing past bedtime, night after night.

Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato

While big releases like Ninja Gaiden 4 are a key selling point for the service, the subscription also showcases lesser-known games. A perfect example of this is Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato. Drawing from the animated classic, this enchanting independent adventure is a magical realist tale rooted in South American culture. You follow Miho, who, after assisting his grandma prepare soup, is transported to a colorful world populated by potato-nabbing frogs and various eccentric creatures.

Sopa plays out like an learning-focused computer title from the 90s, as Miho solves puzzles and aids the world's residents by gathering an inventory of items. Though it's a bit rough around the edges, Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato is a sweet small game that openly showcases its appreciation for the region's culture.

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure

Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure is scheduled to leave the service on Oct. 15, leaving only a few days to experience it via subscription — and you absolutely must. Developer the creators designed one of the finest puzzle games of this generation in 2023's Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure. Its central puzzle mechanic revolves around moving between worlds inside other worlds, and frequently you'll carry those worlds, in the form of colorful orbs, with you.

While it doesn't have explicit instructions, everything about Cocoon's puzzles is designed in a very natural way, though they can challenge you as well. The year 2023 proved a big year for video games, so it's understandable if Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure was somewhat missed by many players. We should rectify that while we can.