Do you love video games, but no longer have time to devote an entire weekend to them? It is still possible to enjoy your favorite hobby without depriving yourself. Exit 50-hour adventure games or service games that require infinite resources. Here is a selection of our best short games, to be completed in less than 5 hours. You will therefore only have to dedicate one afternoon to complete each of the games on this list, no more, and sometimes even less.
They will also be suitable for anyone who quickly gets bored of an adventure or who has limited concentration time. In this category of games, we most often find adventure titles with a modest, even implicit, narrative, or even mind games as well as puzzle games.
Jusant
Climbing is not as easy as it seems. Jusant is here to prove it to us with an adventure game that takes to the heights. In a world devoid of water, the young character that we play is given a rather vague mission. The goal of the game is to climb to the top of a mountain, witness to the remains of a civilization lost following a catastrophe.
As you climb, you gradually discover the context of Jusant. You also learn to handle complex climbing tools. It's not a game that will require a lot of thought, but you will still have to develop certain strategies to climb efficiently without looking at the void that is growing beneath your feet. It's a sound and visual marvel that will transport you for a few hours.
A Short Hike
In a more pixelated style, we will find the game A Short Hike. You play Claire, a little bird on vacation on an island that could be an alternative version of Animal Crossing. The goal is to reach the top of a mountain to get better phone reception. To do this, you will have to explore a colorful and vast environment.
The game offers you a relaxed experience with an open world to contemplate – even from above – endearing characters and varied activities such as fishing and treasure hunting. The charming pixel art aesthetic, the relaxing soundtrack and the soothing atmosphere contribute to making the title a charming getaway that we can only recommend.
Journey
Journey is one of the poetic references of video games. You play a hooded character exploring a vast desert and interacting with other anonymous players online. With no dialogue or explicit instructions, the game encourages non-verbal communication, which is truly relaxing. Progression is made by sliding on dunes, flying on magic scarves, and discovering mystical ruins.
The immersive soundtrack accentuates the emotional experience. Journey is a breath of fresh air like few others. It has always been acclaimed for its clean visual design and its ability to evoke deep emotions, creating a unique gaming experience.
Gris
Gris is a game that emphasizes visual art, whose paintings are incredibly soft. The title follows a young girl who has no name, immersed in an evolving world, symbolizing pain and healing. Devoid of text and dialogue, the game favors emotional expression through beautiful visuals and a captivating soundtrack. As you progress, the world changes from 50 shades of gray to a range of warm, pastel colors.
The mechanics are simple and accessible. The gameplay focuses on exploration, puzzles, and platforming, offering a contemplative and meditative experience. In terms of storytelling, it is unconventional, and that is precisely what we like.
Limbo
We are now entering a much darker category of games. Limbo is an adventure and puzzle game extremely well-known for its gloomy universe. You play as a young boy who explores a monochrome and hostile world in search of his sister. All in horizontal scrolling, the puzzles and obstacles test the player's logic, while sinister encounters and deadly traps impose themselves on your path.
Its gameplay is very simple and will suit even the least experienced players looking for quick thrills. Limbo seduces with its unique atmosphere and especially its minimalist aesthetic which leaves a lot of room for imagination. Mystery is at the heart of the meeting.
Inside
Developed by the same studio as Limbo, Inside is a spiritual sequel without being attached to the previous game. It is also an atmospheric adventure and puzzle title in which the player will have to face puzzles, disturbing situations and constant darkness. This dystopian game takes place in always minimalist environments, with sometimes complex puzzles and some dangers to face quickly.
Your imagination will once again be very useful to you when playing Inside since it ends in a more than mysterious way. Playdead definitely has a knack for keeping us intriguing.
Papers, Please
Papers, Please is a game developed by Lucas Pope that simulates the role of a customs inspector in a fictional dictatorship, very much inspired by the USSR. Players must examine passports and other documents to authorize or deny entry to travelers who come before them. The finesse of the game lies in its moral choices, which counterbalance the need to follow the rules.
The game explores themes such as oppressive bureaucracy and the consequences of personal choices on an entire nation. The puzzle aspect isn’t too hard to get to grips with, but it adds to the narrative immersion. Hailed for its unique gameplay and intricate storytelling, Papers, Please is a morally and politically charged experience that we highly recommend you try.
The Stanley Parable
A short game doesn’t necessarily mean a boring game. It’s entirely possible to be captivated by a short narrative, and even better, to be marked by it for a very long time. The Stanley Parable definitely falls into this category. The hero of this title is named Stanley. He’s a run-of-the-mill office worker, doing a more than run-of-the-mill job, whose life wasn’t supposed to change… until you took control of him.
The narrator follows you through this initially very ordinary adventure. But you have the choice to not follow his instructions and discover what’s really going on in the game. It’s a wonderful piece of writing that takes shape as you play. We love its little meta side which adds a certain charm.
Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise
If you like puzzle-based thinking, the next two games should please you. Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise is a title in which you play a famous spy. Your next mission is to stop the terrible Ruby by solving a series of puzzles, meticulously searching rooms for evidence and discovering who is behind the game's plot.
Rather well done, it will allow fans of escape rooms to find what they are looking for. We like its James Bond atmosphere, even if the outcome of the story is not very exciting. The fact that it has a well-defined narrative adds to the charm of the gameplay, which plays on several levels.
There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension
Have you ever played a game that isn't a game? There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension is a title like no other that plunges you into a perpetual fight with a mysterious voice. The latter does not want you to test what is clearly a video game. What follows are crazy, extremely funny adventures that will put your brain to the test.
You will often have to go against the instructions given to you to succeed in defeating the voice. There Is No Game is extremely well done in the sense that it pays homage to the entire history of video games in a single mini production. Don't hesitate to play it with several people if you have the opportunity, a single brain can sometimes have trouble following.
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