10 games that take place in 1-2 evenings but are remembered for years

By: Vladyslav Nuzhnov | 05.08.2024, 09:00

Usually, we spend 8-12 hours to complete a "corridor" story game. If it is an open-world game, then you should prepare to get lost in it for 30-50+ hours. However, it is not always possible to spend that much time on one game. Lessons, family, work, children, or even a power outage if there is a country with a sick population near you, but you still want to play, what to do? Then short games come to the rescue, which can be completed in at least 1 evening, but the impressions you get are such that you remember this adventure in a month or a year much more than another open world with a hundred question marks. The gg editorial team has found 10 such games that won't take you more than 2 evenings to complete, but will be remembered for years.

What Remains of Edith Finch

What Remains of Edith Finch is an adventure game where we, in the role of a girl named Edith Finch, return to the family home to learn about the mysterious curse that haunts her family. The game is a collection of short stories, each of which tells the tragic fate of family members.

Each story is presented through a unique gameplay and visual style. For example, one of the stories is told through a horror comic, while another turns us into a cat. And it's the narrative and approach to telling each story that has such an emotional impact on the player that if you don't shed a tear at the end, you'll definitely be remembering the Finch family story for days to come.

Time to complete: 2-3 hours

Developer: Giant Sparrow

Genre: Adventure

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PlayStation 4/5

Release date: 25 April 2017

Game site: edithfinch

Abzu.

Abzu is an adventure game where we play as an unnamed diver exploring the beautiful and mysterious underwater world. The game focuses on exploring underwater spaces, interacting with various sea creatures and solving riddles hidden in the depths of the ocean.

The underwater world's landscapes are filled with bright colours, picturesque coral reefs and rich flora and fauna. And the music created by composer Austin Wintory adds emotion to the game, emphasising the beauty and tranquility of the underwater world. The gameplay in Abzu is meditative and focused on exploration, so the couple of hours you spend in the game will feel like a meditation session that you won't want to leave after the end credits roll.

Time to complete: 2-3 hours

Developer: Giant Squid

Genre: Adventure

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PlayStation 4/5

Release date: 2 August 2016

Game site: abzugame

Firewatch.

Firewatch is an adventure game set in 1989, where players take on the role of Henry, a man who decides to escape the problems of his life by becoming a fire observer in the wilds of Wyoming. Armed only with a walkie-talkie, Henry keeps in touch with his supervisor Delilah, with whom they quickly develop chemistry and an interesting duo, even though the two have never met.

The game is distinguished by its incredible landscapes and cartoon-like visuals, wildlife atmosphere, and mysterious plot. The gameplay of Firewatch is based on exploration, puzzle solving, and making decisions that affect the relationship between the characters.

Time to complete: 4-5 hours

Developer: Campo Santo

Genre: Adventure

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PlayStation 4/5

Release date: 9 February 2016

Website of the game: firewatchgame

Portal.

Portal is a first-person puzzle game where we play the role of Chell, a silent protagonist who wakes up in the Aperture Science research centre. She must pass a series of tests using a unique device - a portal gun that creates interdimensional portals on surfaces. The puzzles in the game require ingenuity and spatial thinking as we use the portals to move objects and ourselves. The game also gradually becomes more complex by adding new elements such as lasers or turrets.

One of the most striking features of Portal is its black humour, which is delivered through the sarcastic comments of an artificial intelligence called GLaDOS, who controls the test. GLaDOS guides the player through the levels, promising a reward in the form of a cake, but gradually it becomes clear that something is clearly wrong.

Time to complete: 4-5 hours

Developer: Valve

Genre: Puzzle

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Release date: 10 October 2007

Website of the game: steampowered

FAR: Lone Sails

FAR: Lone Sails is an adventure game where we play as a girl who has to get to a certain place on Earth on a strange transport. The game world is facing a drought. Almost all the seas and oceans have dried up, and people could not survive for long in such conditions, although they tried their best.

The main gameplay is to manage your transport and collect resources. You need to constantly maintain the fuel level, let off steam, raise or lower the sails, and repair your vehicle to feel at least a little comfortable in this world. You will not meet a single person during the entire passage, and this atmosphere of loneliness will be supported by a pleasant audio and visual.

Time to complete: 3-4 hours

Developer: Okomotive

Genre: Adventure

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4/5, iOS, Android

Release date: 17 May 2018

Website of the game: Far

Hotline Miami

Hotline Miami is a pixelated, arcade action game with a top-down view. The game takes place in Miami in 1989. The main character is on the path of revenge and wants to deal with the criminal world. Over the course of 20 chapters, players will be engaged in exciting neon-filled shootouts that won't give them a second's rest.

We will destroy enemies using two types of weapons. Firearms: shotguns, assault rifles, pistols. Cold steel: katanas, pipes, and that's just the beginning. I would also like to mention the music in the game, which has already become a cult favourite. It perfectly complements what is happening on the screen and contributes to a complete immersion in the atmospheric underworld. Hotline Miami seems to take us back to our childhood to a slot machine, in front of which we will spend hours of unforgettable adventure.

Time to complete: 4-7 hours

Developer: Dennaton Games

Genre: Action

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4/5

Release date: 23 October 2012

Website of the game: hotlinemiami

Journey.

Journey is an adventure game where we control a mysterious figure moving towards a distant mountain through the desert. While travelling through the desert, you can find pieces of cloth that allow you to fly for a short time and move through locations, but there is no map or hints in the game, so you have to find the right path yourself.

The game world also contains magical items and ruins. The player comes across various objects and traces of civilisation that help to reveal the history of the game universe. As in Abzu, the composer is Austin Wintory, so the atmosphere of the game is no problem, and the breathtaking landscapes of the desert world will constantly make you stop and enjoy what you see on the screen.

Time to complete: 2-3 hours

Developer: thatgamecompany

Genre: Adventure

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3/4/5, iOS

Release date: 13 March 2012

Website of the game: thatgamecompany

Titanfall 2

Titanfall 2 is a first-person sci-fi shooter. The game's storyline campaign tells the story of Jack Cooper, a private infantryman who dreams of becoming a pilot of a mechanised Titan. After the tragic death of his mentor, Cooper inherits the Titan BT-7274 and joins the fight against the IMC Corporation.

The Titanfall 2 campaign takes the player through various locations, from dense jungles to high-tech complexes, where we simultaneously follow the development of the relationship between Cooper and his Titan. Gameplay-wise, the game offers parkour, where you can run along the walls, fast-paced shootouts, and the use of Titan's special abilities, which provides variety and dynamism.

Time to complete: 4-7 hours

Developer: thatgamecompany

Genre: FPS

Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4/5

Release date: 28 October 2016

Website of the game: Electronic Arts

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a retro-styled co-operative beat 'em up. The game is inspired by the classic Ninja Turtles arcade games. Shredder's Revenge supports up to 6 people on a single PC/console, where you play as Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, Splinter and April. In this adventure, they must stop Shredder's insidious plans.

The game's gameplay is fast-paced and dynamic, with each character having their own unique attacks, combinations, and abilities. In a company, the game is so addictive that it can be completed in one session, because what could be more fun than dozens of levels of beating up different baddies together?

Time to complete: 3-5 hours

Developer: Tribute Games Inc.

Genre: Beat 'em up

Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4/5, Switch

Release date: 28 October 2016

Website of the game: shredders

Inside.

Inside is an adventure platformer game where the player controls an unnamed boy who finds himself in a dark and mysterious world where he has to avoid numerous dangers and solve puzzles to move forward. The game is distinguished by its unique style: a minimalistic visual design that combines a black and white palette with some bright colour accents. The absence of dialogue and text forces players to perceive the story through visual and audio cues and to interiorise the game world in their own way.

The key mechanic of the game is the control of other people, which is what will help you to progress in the faceless world of Inside. In addition, you'll have to run away from dogs, guards, avoid deadly traps, even dive underwater, and the game's ending is so unexpected that you'll sit with your mouth open and remember Inside for years to come.

Time to complete: 3-5 hours

Developer: Playdead

Genre: Platformer

Platforms: PC, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4/5, Switch, iOS

Release date: 7 July 2016

Website of the game: playdead

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