Not every game needs to be 100 hours long. Sometimes it’s nice to get in and out before whatever you’re playing has become a chore. Leaving the player wanting more isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
So here are some games that you can quite literally finish in an evening. If you’re hungry for more you can always start over again, grab the DLC, or look into the developer’s other titles.
For this list we focused on games that can be finished in around four hours or less. Data about game length was gathered from How Long To Beat, and covers only the basic main story.
15
A Short Hike
A Short Hike describes itself as “a little exploration game about hiking up a mountain” where you must explore Hawk Peak Provincial Park, meet the locals, find collectibles, and eventually spread your wings. The game is available for just about everything: PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, and Switch. You can knock the game on its head within two hours, or take a little longer to fully explore the world and complete side quests to hit the four-hour mark.
14
Donut County
Donut County is a simple puzzle game where you take control of a hole and swallow up the world around you. You’ll find the game on PC and Mac, as well as major consoles and even smartphones, tablets, and the Apple TV. It’s a game that works best in a single sitting, with easy-to-pick-up gameplay, a cutesy art style, a cheeky sense of humor, and the perfect two-hour runtime.
13
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
Shredder’s Revenge is an ode to the side-scrolling beat ‘em ups of days gone by, available on all major consoles, PC, Linux, and mobile. The game features satisfying combat, a delightful pixel art style, and support for up to six players in local and online co-op. A run through the main campaign will take around three hours, and you can adjust the difficulty to suit. This is one you’ll want to play over again to master your fighting skills and unlock the full set of characters.
12
Unpacking
Unpacking is a game that manages to tell a compelling narrative without uttering a single word. Available on PC, Mac, Linux, major consoles, and mobile platforms, the game tasks you with unpacking a woman’s possessions each time she moves house, across different stages of her life. The possessions and circumstances of each move gradually paint a picture while the mesmerizing soundtrack helps you zone out. The game is done within four hours, but you’ll probably want to play it again soon after.
11
Venba
At its heart, Venba is a cooking game about South Indian cuisine, but there’s a lot more going on here. The game tells a tale about a woman called Venba and her husband who emigrated to Toronto, Canada to start a fresh life. Though I’d have liked more cooking minigames, the tale is touching and surprisingly complex. You can play through the whole thing in around two hours on PC, Xbox, PS5, and Switch.
10
Jusant
Jusant is a game about climbing a mountain. In addition to a striking art style, the game’s approach to climbing is a lot more engaging than the traversal seen in titles like Uncharted or Assassin’s Creed. There are notes to pick up along the way and lookouts from which to admire the view, but ultimately the feeling of conquering the mountain with your adorable companion is the real prize here. Available for Xbox, PS5, and PC, Jusant should take about four and a half hours to see through.
9
Firewatch
Nearly a decade on and Firewatch is still a must-play narrative adventure game in which you assume the role of fire lookout Henry during his stint in Wyoming’s Shoshone National Forest. Your only company is a walkie-talkie that connects you with a lookout in another tower. The narrative soon has you investigating shadowy goings-on, leading to a feeling that everything isn’t quite as it seems. The game is available on PC, Linux, Mac, and major consoles and can be completed in around four hours.
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8
Inside
Inside is a narrative platform puzzler in which you play as a young boy trying to escape guards, dogs, and more sinister enemies. The follow-up to Playdead’s Limbo, Inside took roughly six years to make with the team starting work in 2010 and finishing shortly before release in 2016. That timeframe is particularly meaningful considering the game is over within around four hours, though the contents will stay with you for far longer. Play on PC, Mac, PS4 and PS5, Xbox, Switch, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.
7
Superhot
Superhot is a first-person shooter puzzle game where time moves only when you do. Due to ammo limitations, you find yourself throwing guns and other projectiles to help defeat oncoming enemies. The game has received a heap of ports, including VR adaptations, and is available on everything except mobile. The main story can be finished within around two and a half hours (as can the VR release). The sequel, Superhot: Mind Control Delete released in 2020, adds roguelike elements and makes for a longer game.
6
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
An expanded remaster of the 2013 game of the same name, The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is a first-person narrative game with a strong sense of personality. The game started life as a Half-Life 2 mod that found success for its self-aware approach to video game narrative, sense of humor, and use of a narrator to accompany the player’s actions. This critically acclaimed experience can be finished in around two hours and can be found on PC, Mac, Linux, PS4 and PS5, Xbox, and Switch.
5
Slay the Princess
Slay the Princess is a horror-themed choose-your-own-adventure game where you’re given a simple brief: slay the princess. It’s up to you to decide how to proceed, with player choice central to the game’s premise. The game received critical acclaim, with its art style and voice acting being particular highlights. You’ll find it on PC, Linux, and Mac as well as PS4 and PS5, Xbox, and Switch. The game can be finished within four hours, but you’ll want to play it a few times to fully explore the branching narrative paths.
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4
Untitled Goose Game
A puzzle game with elements of stealth and a cheeky sense of humor, Untitled Goose Game took the internet by storm when it was first released in 2019. You play as the titular goose and must work your way through a list of objectives by stealing, scaring, sneaking, and honking. The silly premise is brought to life with a beautiful art style in a game that, at around three hours in length, is perfectly paced. Grab it on PC, Mac, Switch, PS4 and PS5, and Xbox.
3
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Praised for its uniquely British sense of humor, Thank Goodness You’re Here! is a one-of-a-kind experience in which you play as a traveling salesman who must complete a series of objectives for the various northern English townsfolk you encounter. Available on PC, PS4 and PS5, and Switch; you can get pretty much everything done within three hours, though you’d be forgiven if the charming colorful art style and absurd humor make you wish it would last a little longer.
2
Still Wakes the Deep
If you’ve got a full evening ahead of you, Still Wakes the Deep is a narrative adventure that will take around four and a half hours to see through to its conclusion (assume you focus on the main story and give the sides a miss). The tale takes place aboard an oil rig off the coast of Scotland in 1975 and features a whole cast of interesting characters, backstory to uncover, and an emerging disaster of otherworldly horror in the vein of an H.P. Lovecraft novel or The Thing. Play it on PC, PS5 and Xbox.
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1
Indika
Set in Russia during the end of the 19th century, Indika is a third-person narrative adventure game that tells the story of a young nun trying to adjust to the realities of monastic life. The twist is that Indika sees and hears the devil, which throws a bit of a spanner in the works. Indika gamifies many of the daily duties of monastic life before things take a more interesting turn. You can complete the game in four hours, which mostly involves platforming sequences, solving puzzles, and hunting down collectibles.
All of these games are worth your time, even if that’s only a few hours. Some of them have gimmicks that, while short-lived, don’t outstay their welcome. Others will keep you thinking about the experience for weeks, months, or years (I still mull over Inside). You’ll be able to roll credits on all of them within a relatively accessible timeframe, not to mention the handful of achievements you’ll unlock along the way.
If you’re short on time, you might also be interested in games that are perfect for quick sessions. If you find yourself short on commitment, roguelikes are a great alternative to epic MMOs that you can dip into at will.
