Summary
Tired of massive video games? It’s understandable. Sure, titles that last hundreds of hours can be exhilarating, but they also have downsides. When juggling work, school, or other responsibilities, it’s hard to devote the necessary time to longer games. Plus, if you need to walk away for a while, it’s easy to forget what’s happening in the story, where you’ve already been, etc.
So, what do you do if you’re burnt out on games that require a ton of commitment? First, check out titles that offer similar gameplay on a smaller scope. Second, look for games that can be enjoyed in short bursts. Thankfully, the followingindie gameshave your back.
8Lil Gator Game
A Short Zelda-Like Adventure
Not everyone has time for huge open-world games like Breath of the Wild. For a shorter alternative, Lil Gator Game provides similar gameplay in a much smaller adventure and less stressful environment.
You play as an adorable little alligator on a journey to explore a gorgeous autumn forest. Like Zelda, you can glide, climb, and shield-surf as you venture through the open world. With plenty of collectibles to find and no enemies in your way, Lil Gator Game isa great title to cuddle up withafter a long day.
Short story-rich games are tricky to find. Thankfully, Her Story takes you through an enthralling, thought-provoking mystery in just a few hours. You’re a detective tasked with watching clips of a woman interrogated by the police about her missing husband. You must listen closely for clues, search the database for new footage, and unravel the shocking truth.
The goal is to pinpoint valuable pieces of information and use them as search terms to locate new evidence. The phenomenal acting and twist-heavy plot create an immersive experience that can be finished in one night.
6Baba Is You
A Unique Puzzle Game Perfect For Short Play Sessions
Baba Is You is perfect if you need something to play in short bursts. It’s a charming puzzler in which the rules are personified as blocks. The catch? You can move each word around to form new rules, thus changing how the game is played.
For example, changing “Baba Is You” to “Rock Is You” means you now play as a rock. Turning “Wall Is Stop” into “Wall Is Move” makes the wall move when you do. The goal is to alter the rules to make the end of the level accessible. It’s great for quick pick-up-and-play sessions and provides a nice challenge.
Sometimes, you just need something low-stakes and cozy in between long adventures. Cozy Grove isas relaxing as it gets. You play as a Spirit Scout tasked with managing a charming village populated by adorable, friendly ghosts.
You explore beautiful hand-drawn areas, learn the spirits' stories, go fishing, and do many other calming activities. The game was designed to be played for about one hour a day, creating a serene experience you can return to frequently without needing to devote too much of your time.
Massive games often have complicated control schemes. Vampire Survivors offers much simpler gameplay without sacrificing difficulty. It’s a roguelike that places you in randomly generated worlds where you must survive hoards of ferocious monsters.
Your attacks are automated, meaning all you have to do is move the character. The challenge comes from hunting down sub-weapons, choosing which abilities to upgrade, and avoiding hundreds of enemies. Each run lasts up to 30 minutes, making it perfect for short play sessions. Plus, the simple concept makes it easy to return to after long breaks.
This is my go-to game for a quick palate cleanser between longer titles. I’ve played countless runs, and it never gets old.
You don’t need to play a long horror game to get goosebumps. Slay the Princess is a Lovecraftian visual novel that’llscare you silly in a short amount of time. You start in front of a cabin in the woods. A voice tells you there’s a princess inside who will end the world unless you kill her.
Upon entering, the princess doesn’t seem harmful, but she’s not being truthful either. Who you trust is up to you. The game’s chapter structure makes it perfect to play in short bursts, and it only takes about 12 hours to see all endings.
2Gravity Circuit
An Action-Packed 2D Platformer
Platformers arean ideal choice if you’re busydue to their short campaigns and bite-sized levels. Gravity Circuit is a great way to get action-packed gameplay without committing too much time. It’s a pixel platformer similar to Mega Man with new twists.
You run, wall-jump, and grapple across 12 fast-paced levels, using close combat attacks to pummel enemies and rack up combos. The story takes about 11 hours to complete, and since you can play stages in any order, the game is endlessly replayable.
1Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling
A Charming RPG Inspired By Paper Mario
If you love RPGs but don’t have hundreds of hours to pour into them, Bug Fables is the way to go. Inspired by the Paper Mario series, the game provides an imaginative world to explore, engaging turn-based combat, and plenty of side quests without being too long.
The plot follows three unlikely adventurers - Vi, Kabbu, and Leif - who set out to find the secret to immortality. Everything you love about Paper Mario, including the action commands and humor, is here in full glory. Plus, the game’s chapter structure provides ample opportunities to take breaks and come back later.
