A lot of gamers don’t have the time to devote to 100-hour single-player campaign, which is what we see in a lot of recent role-playing games. (We’re looking at you, The Witcher 3!)
Thankfully, there are plenty of titles out there in the world with relatively short campaigns. You can complete any one of these ten games in just a single weekend! If you marathon the story mode, then perhaps you can finish two or three in the same time span.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
If you’re looking for a truly heartwarming, fantastic tale that revolves around two brothers traversing a mystical world filled with giants and other creatures, then A Tale of Two Sons is what you’re after. The game can be completed within 3 or 4 hours, which makes up a single sitting for most people these days.
Basically, the left and right joystick on a controller will control one of the brothers, respectively. This particular mechanic may be a little disorienting at first, but once you get your bearings, the gameplay is a breeze. A few small puzzle are also scattered throughout, but they’re pretty simple to beat.
Journey
Journey, a PlayStation exclusive title, is the type of adventure game most people can get behind. The story mode will take anywhere between 3 and 5 hours to finish.
Throughout the gameplay, the player will climb and evade various dangers, make a few new companions, and explore the wonderful world that appears to be in a state of flux.
A single light shining in the sky will guide you to the top of the mountain.
Deadlight
Deadlight is an interesting indie game about a man on a quest to find his wife and daughter in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. The game is set in a 1980s version of Seattle, and allows the player to focus on an exploration style of gameplay instead of hardy combat like most zombie games.
The 2D/3D mixed game will take between 4 to 5 hours to finish in its entirety. Some puzzles may give you a bit of trouble, but overall the game is really streamlined and easy to pick up and play.
The Stanley Parable
The Stanley Parable is a personal favorite in the adventure genre. You, the player, have total control over the movements and direction you take. The story is quite philosophical, and has plenty of comedy interjected within the dialogue.
While you may not be in total control of everything that happens, the ride to the end is well worth the time it takes. You can usually see all of the endings within 1 to 4 hours, though that may vary depending on how long you take to move through the stark office hallways.
Of course, there are multiple endings to discover, and some will simply lead to your demise. So be wary of your choices or what turn you happen to make early on.
Portal
Sure, you could play Portal 2, but the original is just something special to enjoy. This 3D puzzle game is best played with a buddy or your significant other, but make sure they have anywhere between 3 to 5 hours to sit down and complete the puzzling story.
There are multiple mazes, a few logic puzzles, and a quirky robot to contend with. Be sure to power up your portal guns beforehand!
Hotline Miami
Hotline Miami is a violent thrill ride fueled by drugs, sex, and more than a little splattering of blood. The 8-bit top-down title should make you cringe on more than one occasion — and not just because of the difficulty, which can get downright mean sometimes. If you have a good 5 to 6 hours to spend, invest that into this violent rabbit hole.
The player has no idea why they are being given these missions, but you will require a quick trigger finger to accomplish each of them.
If you tend to rage-quit video games easily, then perhaps you should skip this particular game.
The Wolf Among Us
The Wolf Among Us is probably one of the best choose-your-own-adventure titles released by developer Telltale Games. The title is split up into five different episodes, each one ending with a little cliffhanger to pull you into the next. You can complete all three in anywhere between 10 to 14 hours.
While the end-game tends to be a bit scripted, the choices you make to get there are totally dependent upon you and how you’re feeling at that particular moment. Each choice generally comes in the form of a dialogue option or a quick-time event.
Mirror’s Edge
The first Mirror’s Edge is a wonderful first-person platformer that focuses solely on free-running, which is often referred to as parkour by the French crowds. The single-player game focuses on nonviolent confrontations, which means you won’t be wielding any firearms or swords to topple. There is no Mature content included, so even a teenager can take some time off from school and beat it within 10 hours.
Some of the gameplay tends to be on the tough side, so be prepared for a few difficult spots here and there.
If you enjoy this one, you can also pick up the recently released reboot, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Silent Hill is an iconic survival horror franchise, so it is safe to say this is not for the faint of heart. For those with an iron stomach, however, you can beat Shattered Memories within 7 to 8 hours, depending on how long it takes to complete a few puzzles and run away from enemies. Trust us, you won’t be fighting them all.
This is a psuedo remake of the original game, with familiar characters and a plot line that is pretty similar overall.
If you’re looking to reinvigorate your love of the survival horror genre within the span of just two days, then this is a great start.
Spec Ops: The Line
Spec Ops: The Line is one of those shooters that simply makes you think about the actions portrayed. While you have no direct control over what happens to the characters or the civilians in the game, you will receive a front-line ticket to this wild ride.
The psychological mechanics within the single-player campaign should make anyone stop and wonder for a second or two. The shooting is overall pretty simple and fluid, though it can feel clunky depending on the weapon you’re using at the time.
Overall, you can complete the game in around 7 to 8 hours.
While there are plenty of video games you could complete within a weekend, you certainly couldn’t do better than these ten. Each one should leave you with a memory or two.
What are your favorite games to beat in a single weekend? Let me know down in the comments!
Published: Jun 28, 2016 12:14 pm