Though it’s fun to get lost in an expansive open world, it’s also nice to roll credits on shorter games that require less of a commitment.
With so many games just begging to be played, it’s nice to get in and out before a title has outstays its welcome. That’s the idea behind this small collection of games that you can start on Friday night and have finished by Sunday evening.
For this list we focused on games that can be finished in around eight to 12 hours. Data about game length was gathered from How Long To Beat, and covers only the basic main story.
1
Portal 2
While the original Portal is a game that barely lasts three hours if you focus on the main task at hand, Portal 2 more than doubles this. This is one of those rare instances where the sequel to one of the most beloved games of all time is not only bigger but also an arguably better game. The game takes place a long time after the events of the first outing, but the idea is the same: stop GLaDOS and stay alive.
2
Resident Evil 2 (2019)
Arguably one of the best video game remakes of all time, 2019’s Resident Evil 2 will take around nine hours to complete with a focus on the main story, and around 16 hours if you’re preoccupied with the extras. The game takes place two months after the events of the first game and has you take control of Leon or Claire as they battle through Raccoon City which has become overrun with zombies. It’s a true homage to the original that turns the eye candy up to 11 and makes some thoughtful quality-of-life improvements.
3
Dredge
2023’s Dredge is a game that stuck with me long after I played it. It combines fishing, Lovecraftian horror, and elements of a Metroidvania into one tight package that you can see through to the end in just under 10 hours. The gameplay loop is particularly addictive: head out fishing to capture what you can, make your way back to port, sell your spoils, and upgrade your vessel. Just be sure to make it home before dark, or else you’ll find yourself at the mercy of the deep.
4
The Quarry
The Quarry is a narrative-driven interactive horror movie from Supermassive Games, the studio responsible for hits like Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology. It’s a game that you want to complete within a few sittings because it plays out a lot like a teen slasher movie, with a runtime of around nine hours. In it, you take control of a group of teenagers who are forced to spend one final night at Hackett’s Quarry summer camp. Make decisions that have far-reaching consequences and fight to keep your campers alive to secure a good ending.
5
Half-Life
Did you know that you can beat Valve’s iconic 1998 first-person shooter Half-Life in around 12 hours? This linear adventure sees you take the role of Gordon Freeman, a scientist who’s having a very bad day at work. After an experiment goes wrong and opens up a portal to an alien dimension called Xen, you must battle your way through the Black Mesa research facility and take the fight to the invaders. The game still holds up almost three decades later, particularly following the 25th-anniversary update that arrived in 2023.
6
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is the follow up to 2017’s surprise hit Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. It follows the story of 9th-century Orcadian warrior Senua, who is captured by slavers and taken from Orkney to Iceland only to get caught in a violent storm. This Unreal Engine 5 game looks stunning and, though the gameplay consists of mostly simple traversal, puzzle solving, and a bit of combat, at around seven hours the game feels like the perfect length.
7
Wanderstop
Wanderstop is a cozy game about helping to run a tea shop. Released in 2025, the game encourages you to take your time doing things like making tea, gathering herbs, and sweeping up leaves. There’s very little pressure to perform here, so you’re left largely to your own devices. The game can be finished within around 12 hours, though this will naturally vary based on how long you spend taking in the world.
8
Chants of Sennaar
Chants of Sennaar is a neat little adventure game in which the primary goal is to translate fictional languages into English. Clues are found by puzzle solving and simple tasks, with a small amount of stealth thrown in for good measure. The game has you filling in a dictionary of phrases that are cleverly integrated into the game’s main narrative, which makes you feel particularly clever when deciphering the various clues. You can complete the whole thing in around nine hours.
9
Metroid Dread
Though the game can be finished in an average of about nine hours, 2021’s Metroid Dread can feel like a real challenge. I’m not afraid to say that I beat my head against boss fights numerous times in this game, but I had a spectacularly fun time doing it. The game follows the usual Metroidvania formula of exploration and incremental upgrades, with heart-pounding “dread” sequences where you’re pursued by killer robots. The game was well-received and serves as a great reminder that Nintendo can still work magic into this tried and tested formula if the company is willing to take a few chances.
10
Not For Broadcast
Not For Broadcast offers a new spin on the full motion video (FMV) genre in which you play the role of a director of a British newsroom. Ultimately it’s up to you to decide what to broadcast, with everything you see on a two-second broadcast delay. You’ve got to censor the obvious stuff like bad language while flavoring the footage with appropriate sound effects. You’re graded on your performance based on audience ratings, which affects your pay (and you can even watch your finished broadcast). The game should take around nine hours to complete.
11
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
2022’s Kirby and the Forgotten Land was a return to form for Nintendo’s lovable pink protagonist. It was the first time Kirby appeared in full 3D and, though the gameplay consisted of mostly simple platforming, the quirky title does enough interesting things to keep players hooked. Kirby’s ability to absorb and take on the properties of enemies and items is central to the gameplay, and upgrades were added to these abilities that allow players to tailor the character to their preferred play style. The game should only take around 10 hours to roll credits, and a few additional hours to complete the extras.
12
Halo: Combat Evolved
Bungie’s iconic first-person shooter debuted on the original Xbox in 2001 only to be remastered and re-released a decade later on the Xbox 360. Halo: Combat Evolved: Anniversary is now playable on modern platforms as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, with a playthrough taking about 10 hours to complete (though be prepared to take longer if you pump the difficulty up). Not only is this a nostalgic way to spend your weekend, you can experience the whole thing in co-op with a friend.
If you enjoy your time with Halo: Combat Evolved, you’ll be pleased to hear most other titles in The Master Chief Collection have a similarly accessible runtime, including Halo 3: ODST which is one of the most underrated games in the series.
13
SteamWorld: Heist
The SteamWorld games are all pretty good, but a few stand out. The original SteamWorld: Heist is a great starting point, especially if you enjoy turn-based combat. The game takes place from a 2D side-scrolling perspective in which you engage in projectile-based battles, collect hats, and work your way through more than 100 guns. There’s a real emphasis on trick shots here, and learning to ricochet bullets off walls and ceilings is a skill that’s a lot of fun to master. You can see the game through in about 12 hours, though the sequel will take nearly double that.
Though very different games, SteamWorld Dig and its sequel are also worth a look and can be finished in around five and seven hours respectively.
14
Return to Monkey Island
Return to Monkey Island is proof that they really do make them like they used to. The final entry of one of the greatest point-and-click adventure series of all time, this tale of a father (Guybrush Threepwood) recounting the story of his greatest adventure is touching, funny, and lots of fun. You don’t need to be intimately familiar with the source material, Monkey Island veterans and newcomers alike will enjoy this colorful reimagination of one of the most endearing adventure games of all time. Like any good story it’s over and leaving you wanting more in around 10 hours.
15
Chicory: A Colorful Tale
A game that was met with universal acclaim when it first arrived on PS5 in 2021, Chicory: A Colorful Tale is a game where you take on the role of a dog that the game names after your favorite food. When color is drained from the world, it’s up to you to restore it with your magical paintbrush and the friends you meet along the way. How long Chicory takes to complete largely depends on how long you spend perfecting your beautiful creations, though the game should take around nine hours on average.
Not got a full weekend to spare? Check out 15 games that you can complete in a single evening. Looking for a more serious commitment? Some games can be played forever!
