author: Daniel Stronski
The Best Short Video Games - 20 Titles to Complete in One Evening (2022 Update)
How many times have we complained that we don't have as much free time to play as we used to? Fortunately, there are many short and sweet gems on the market, which we can witness in full in just a few hours.
Table of Contents
School, work, family, other hobbies - it's difficult to find those twenty, thirty, or forty hours needed for a longer gaming session. We notoriously forget about games we started, tempted by fresh titles. RPGs and open-world games that require you to invest at least a few dozen hours in them are particularly troublesome in this regard. And you could check out so many games within this time.
If you are looking for a decent game for a few hours that can be played in one sitting, the following list should not disappoint you. We've included unique suggestions for those looking for a rewarding adventure to complete, even with a very busy schedule.
METHODOLOGY
In selecting the games for the following list, we assumed that it must be possible to get to the end credits within six hours, that is, from 6PM to midnight. We assume that this is the maximum of what can be described as "one evening". Most of the below games will require you spend even less to be completed. At the same time, however, we should add that many of these game can engage you even more if we play with additional modes or explore the digital worlds.
UPDATE 2022
We just had to complete the list with probably one of the most important games of the year. I'm talking about Stray, of course.
Stray
- Release date: July 19, 2022
- Genre: adventure
- Average score on Gamepressure: 7.3 / 10
- Average time needed to complete according to howlongtobeat.com: 4.5 hours
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5
Quite unexpectedly, Stray can become the game of the year 2022 and doesn't need any "vast, open worlds" for that. The biggest feat of the production is that we play as a (not so) regular cat. Sure, this isn't the first game using that gimmick, but it can be addictive from the first minutes on. It's set in a cyberpunk city inhabited only by robots. The amazing atmosphere is additionally enhanced by a great graphic design.
The gameplay itself is nothing new, but it still deserves recognition, if only because of how refined the smallest elements are. Gameplay largely comes down to exploration of more or less linear locations. Due to the fact that we play as cat, we move mostly with jumps, leaps and bounds. The game also includes other activities typical for this animal, such as scratching everything we can and meowing. From less obvious things, we're dealing with puzzles and avoiding the pursuit of creatures, which may look harmless, but may end the life of our four-legged friend.
It shouldn't take more than 5 hours to complete the main storyline. Completing all side quests extends the game time to about 6 hours. It will take about 9 hours to examine every corner of the game and learn all its secrets.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
- Release date: 7 August 2013
- Genre: adventure
- Average score on Gamepressure: 8.3 / 10
- Average time needed to complete according to howlongtobeat.com: 3 hours
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XOne, Switch, PS3, X360, iOS, Android
Brotherly love can move the mountains. And Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons focuses on family bonds, by telling the story of two brothers who have lost their mother and will do anything to save their ailing father. So they embark on a journey where cooperation is essential. But don't think you need a second player for enjoying the game. Player controls two characters at once, which takes a bit of getting used to (and definitely a pad with two analogs), but ultimately works great.
The depressive tone doesn't last throughout the entire playthrough - there are idyllic, humorous scenes that allow the boys to think about something different than their hopeless situation, at least for a moment. By the time you see the end credits, however, the game will have completely destroyed you emotionally. A beautiful adventure with an original approach to controls that is well worth experiencing.
