Elara is a financial strategist with over a decade of experience in wealth management and entrepreneurship, dedicated to empowering others.
After Microsoft's latest announcement of Xbox Game Pass membership updates, featuring a price increase for the top tier to $30 monthly, many subscribers are seeking new ways to get the most from their membership. For those holding onto their subscription or considering joining, here are our latest recommendations.
This weekend's games include a beloved Japanese role-playing game, a charming independent journey, and a superb puzzler scheduled to depart from the platform soon.
One of the top methods to get your money's worth from your subscription is by diving into a lengthy, engaging role-playing game — and Persona 4 Golden fits that bill perfectly. Players take on the role of a teenager who has just moved to the sleepy countryside of Inaba. During the day, your goals include making friendships, taking on employment, and managing studies. By night, you investigate a chilling string of murders by exploring strange dungeons themed around your friends' inner fears.
With a memorable group of heroes, tactical turn-based combat, impeccable art design, and a storyline full of twists, Persona 4: The Golden Edition is regarded as a classic for good reason. It also boasts a highly engrossing cycle that will have you playing late into the night, night after night.
While major releases like Ninja Gaiden 4 are a key attraction for Game Pass, the subscription also showcases smaller games. A perfect instance of this is Sopa - Tale of the Stolen Potato. Inspired by Spirited Away, this enchanting indie adventure is a magical realist journey rooted in South American traditions. Players join Miho, who, after helping his grandmother prepare soup, is pulled into a vibrant realm populated by potato-stealing frogs and various quirky creatures.
Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato plays out like an educational computer title from the 90s, as Miho tackles puzzles and aids the realm's inhabitants by gathering an inventory of items. Though it's a little unpolished, Sopa is a sweet small experience that proudly celebrates its love for the region's culture.
Cocoon: A Puzzle Adventure is scheduled to exit Game Pass on October 15, giving you only a short time to experience it via subscription — and you definitely must. Developer the creators designed one of the best puzzle games of recent years in 2023's Cocoon. Its core puzzle mechanic revolves around moving among worlds within additional worlds, and frequently you'll transport those worlds, in the shape of colorful spheres, with you.
While it lacks explicit guidance, everything about Cocoon's puzzles is built in a highly natural manner, though they can challenge you as well. 2023 was a massive period for games, so it's understandable if Cocoon was a bit missed by the masses. Let's correct that while we can.
Elara is a financial strategist with over a decade of experience in wealth management and entrepreneurship, dedicated to empowering others.