Though it’s fun to get lost in an expansive open world, it’s also nice to roll credits on shorter games that require less of a commitment.
With so many games just begging to be played, it’s nice to get in and out before a title has outstays its welcome. That’s the idea behind this small collection of games that you may start on Friday night and have finished by Sunday evening.
For this list we focused on games that can be finished in around eight to 12 hours. Data about game length was gathered fromHow Long To Beat, and covers only the basic main story.
1Portal 2
While the originalPortalis a game that barely lasts three hours if you focus on the main task at hand,Portal 2more than doubles this. This is one of those rare instances where the sequel to one of the most beloved games of all time is not only bigger but also an arguably better game. The game takes place a long time after the events of the first outing, but the idea is the same: stop GLaDOS and stay alive.
2Resident Evil 2(2019)
Arguably one of the best video game remakes of all time, 2019’sResident Evil 2will take around nine hours to complete with a focus on the main story, and around 16 hours if you’re preoccupied with the extras. The game takes place two months after the events of the first game and has you take control of Leon or Claire as they battle through Raccoon City which has become overrun with zombies. It’s a true homage to the original that turns the eye candy up to 11 and makes some thoughtful quality-of-life improvements.
3Dredge
2023’sDredgeis a game that stuck with me long after I played it. It combines fishing, Lovecraftian horror, and elements of a Metroidvania into one tight package that you can see through to the end in just under 10 hours. The gameplay loop is particularly addictive: head out fishing to capture what you can, make your way back to port, sell your spoils, and upgrade your vessel. Just be sure to make it home before dark, or else you’ll find yourself at the mercy of the deep.
4The Quarry
The Quarryis a narrative-driven interactive horror movie from Supermassive Games, the studio responsible for hits likeUntil DawnandThe Dark Pictures Anthology. It’s a game that you want to complete within a few sittings because it plays out a lot like a teen slasher movie, with a runtime of around nine hours. In it, you take control of a group of teenagers who are forced to spend one final night at Hackett’s Quarry summer camp. Make decisions that have far-reaching consequences and fight to keep your campers alive to secure a good ending.
5Half-Life
Did you know that you can beat Valve’s iconic 1998 first-person shooterHalf-Lifein around 12 hours? This linear adventure sees you take the role of Gordon Freeman, a scientist who’s having a very bad day at work. After an experiment goes wrong and opens up a portal to an alien dimension called Xen, you must battle your way through the Black Mesa research facility and take the fight to the invaders. The game still holds up almost three decades later, particularly following the 25th-anniversary update that arrived in 2023.
Why not follow yourHalf-Lifeplaythrough by watching the Valve-producedHalf-Life: 25th Anniversary Documentarytoo?
6Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade IIis the follow up to 2017’s surprise hitHellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. It follows the story of 9th-century Orcadian warrior Senua, who is captured by slavers and taken from Orkney to Iceland only to get caught in a violent storm. This Unreal Engine 5 game looks stunning and, though the gameplay consists of mostly simple traversal, puzzle solving, and a bit of combat, at around seven hours the game feels like the perfect length.
7Wanderstop
Wanderstopis a cozy game about helping to run a tea shop. Released in 2025, the game encourages you to take your time doing things like making tea, gathering herbs, and sweeping up leaves. There’s very little pressure to perform here, so you’re left largely to your own devices. The game can be finished within around 12 hours, though this will naturally vary based on how long you spend taking in the world.
8Chants of Sennaar
Chants of Sennaaris a neat little adventure game in which the primary goal is to translate fictional languages into English. Clues are found by puzzle solving and simple tasks, with a small amount of stealth thrown in for good measure. The game has you filling in a dictionary of phrases that are cleverly integrated into the game’s main narrative, which makes you feel particularly clever when deciphering the various clues. You can complete the whole thing in around nine hours.
9Metroid Dread
Though the game can be finished in an average of about nine hours, 2021’sMetroid Dreadcan feel like a real challenge. I’m not afraid to say that I beat my head against boss fights numerous times in this game, but I had a spectacularly fun time doing it. The game follows the usualMetroidvania formula of exploration and incremental upgrades, with heart-pounding “dread” sequences where you’re pursued by killer robots. The game was well-received and serves as a great reminder that Nintendo can still work magic into this tried and tested formula if the company is willing to take a few chances.
10Not For Broadcast
Not For Broadcastoffers a new spin on thefull motion video (FMV) genrein which you play the role of a director of a British newsroom. Ultimately it’s up to you to decide what to broadcast, with everything you see on a two-second broadcast delay. You’ve got to censor the obvious stuff like bad language while flavoring the footage with appropriate sound effects. You’re graded on your performance based on audience ratings, which affects your pay (and you can even watch your finished broadcast). The game should take around nine hours to complete.
