Xbox's Latest Free Game Has Major Studio Ghibli Vibes

Xbox Game Pass has just added another new game to its huge roster, and it’s one for the Studio Ghibli fans in the room with us.

Xbox Game Pass has a constant rotation of great titles to enjoy, and if you’re a gamer on a tight budget, it can sometimes be better to pick up a month of Game Pass than buy all the games available there.

Even with the recent price hike announcements though, it still feels like Game Pass is a great investment if you wish to try these games out. And one of its latest additions might just be a reason to boot up your console.

Sopa is a new puzzle adventure game by StudioBando which is inspired by “Spirited Away, The Little Prince and Coco.”

It’s just been added to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate this week, making up part of the service’s October offerings.

The official game description for Sopa reads:

“When Miho steps into the pantry to get a potato for his grandmothers' soup, he's suddenly pulled into a distant fantastical land where he must retrace the steps of a mysterious great traveler before him.

“He must venture through a world of wondrous rainforests, teetering towns, and talking beasts, outsmarting thieves and meeting quirky characters along the way. But each time he returns to the kitchen with an ingredient, things have changed in unexpected ways…

“Sopa is a tale about family, adventure, and the things we pass along to future generations, comforting like the first sip of hot soup on a cold day and vital as an ancient memory.”

It’s apparently not a long game, either, totalling around four hours in length. So, it sounds like a good choice to spread over a couple weeknights. And with it being family-friendly, it’s also one to get the children involved in.

Other games which also join Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in the first half of this month include Little Rocket Lab, Ball x Pit, and Pax Dei.

Later on in October, we’ll also get to enjoy Keeper, Ninja Gaiden 4, Bounty Star, PowerWash Simulator 2, and The Outer Worlds 2. All-in-all, it’s a very packed month for the service.

Xbox recently came under a spot of controversy for a recent price increase of the service, with some regions impacted by as much as a 50% increase. This lead to the Xbox Game Pass cancellation page crashing due to an influx of customers rushing to cancel it.