Are you too busy with a job or school to play long video games? These six short games for busy people won’t take much time from your schedule. We are limiting this list to games released in the past ten years.
A Short Hike
A Short Hike is not very long. It’s right there in the title. I think you can guess that there isn’t any violence or stressful gameplay moments in A Short Hike. It’s somewhat open-ended and there is the possibility to explore this beautiful map.
You’ll spend a little more than four hours to fully complete the game. It’s quite possible to even finish it in one sitting. It’s really popular on Steam, and this just might be a great way to relax after a long day. This is a great way to spend a weekend at home in the middle of winter.
Bright Memory and Bright Memory: Infinite
The Bright Memory games are short but intense action first-person shooter games developed by a single person. Both of them look extraordinarily good. The gunplay and swordplay feel exquisite. The game world is small, as you would expect, but it’s well-made. Each of these games would take a little more than two hours to beat, maybe, so there’s no need to budget your time to finish these.
Firewatch
Firewatch is an indie adventure game that’s somewhat of a mystery-thriller. But it may be quite different from what you would expect from a game like this. The art style is very beautiful and to be fair, there aren’t many gameplay possibilities. The main reason to play this is its story. I’ve seen many gamers refer to Firewatch as a “piece of art” and I can’t really describe it better.
What Remains of Edith Finch
What Remains of Edith Finch tells the mysterious tales of a family. It’s a really popular first-person game that doesn’t have combat encounters or anything that a conventional FPS may offer. It’s somewhat of a thriller with a little more intensity than our previous entry. What Remains of Edith Finch takes about two hours to complete.
Stray
Stray is another fantastic game from Annapurna Studio, who also published What Remains of Edith Finch. This immensely popular indie game won best indie game at The Game Awards 2022. It takes about five hours to finish. So it’s another short and sweet game that you should consider.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is another game that’s somewhat of a thriller and this time, it has murder mystery elements. The game looks extraordinarily good, even by today’s standards. Its atmosphere and the look itself suit the game’s premise very well.
This game takes around five hours to complete. I really think that it is five hours well spent as it is a really wonderful time. If you get one free day or something, you’ll be able to finish it in one sitting, if you’re willing to.
