Nex Machina

Time to Beat: 1.5 hours
Platforms: PC & PlayStation 4

The shoot 'em up genre may not be as wildly popular as first-person shooters, MOBAs, and digital CCGs are these days, but one of the strengths of indie game development is that they're willing to tackle a broader variety of games, and every now and then, you wind up with a game like Nex Machina.

Housemarque's Nex Machina is an arcade-y, twin-stick shoot 'em up set in a vibrant and colorful cyberpunk world where AI machines have all but exterminated humanity. The game has more or less the same fast-paced core gameplay loop that most other shoot 'em ups have, but it's packaged in a highly detailed and stylish world with a fantastic soundtrack, beautiful visuals, and great enemy and weapon variety.

In short, if shoot 'em ups are your thing, then Nex Machina's your game.

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Hopefully, you found a game or two in this list that piqued your interest. If you know of any other short but awesome indie games that could fit on this list, let us know in the comments!

Or, if you're interested in what we have to say about other indie games, you can find some of our other indie content here!

Gone Home

Time to Beat: 2 hours
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Gone Home is a walking simulator -- a really good walking simulator. While Gone Home may not transcend the genre the same way The Stanley Parable might, it's definitely much more representative of it.

Playing the role of Kaitlin Greenbriar, the player will return home from a semester abroad in Europe, only to find the house empty. The player will have to explore the house in search of clues that'll help them figure out where the rest of Katie's family is, which more or less constitutes the entirety of Gone Home's gameplay.

Gone Home isn't exactly the most groundbreaking game ever, but it's short, it's sweet, and it's got a great story and atmosphere. You can't really go wrong with that. (Although you might want to pick the game up at a discount if you don't think two hours of entertainment is worth $15.)

Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut

Time to Beat: 4 hours
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U

Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut is a post-apocalyptic survival horror game where the player controls an unnamed, masked survivor (referred to simply as "You") who must wrestle with both the mutant horrors that roam the city and his deteriorating mental state.

Lone Survivor bears many similarities to the Silent Hill series, with many likening it to a 16-bit SNES Silent Hill game. One of the most prominent features that Lone Survivor shares with the Silent Hill series are its multiple endings. As the player explores the surrounding area, they'll encounter various NPCs and objects that they'll be able to interact with, and how the player chooses to carry themselves in the post-apocalyptic world determines which ending they'll get.

There aren't many indie survival-horror games on the market, but if that's what you're looking for, then you're in luck: Lone Survivor is a fantastic instance of that niche.

Titan Souls

Time to Beat: 3 hours
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Android, PlayStation Vita

Part Shadow of the Colossus, part Dark Souls, Titan Souls is a game that’s all about boss fights in a beautifully imagined fantasy world.

In a way, Titan Souls is like a puzzle game, though instead of having to solve quaint little environmental riddles, the player has to identify and figure out how to exploit each boss’s unique weakness while simultaneously dodging everything thrown their way (because you die in one hit).

Boss fights tend to be the highlights of many action-adventure/RPG games, and if you're one of those players who prefers quality over quantity, then Titan Souls is definitely worth checking out.

To the Moon

Time to Beat: 4 hours
Platforms: PC, iOS, Android

To the Moon is an adventure game developed by Freebird Games, where the player takes on the role of a doctor employed by Sigmund Corp., which offers a wish fulfillment service using a futuristic piece of tech that can create artificial memories. There's just one twist: the doctors have to use the machine to explore their patient's memories Inception-style.

In To the Moon, the player must use the machine to fulfill the last wish of a dying old man: to fulfill his lifelong dream of going to the moon. However, aged as he is, he doesn't remember why, and it's the doctors' job to delve backwards in time through his memories to discover why he wanted to go to the moon before they can fulfill his dream.

If you're looking for one of the best stories that gaming has to offer, then To the Moon is the game you're looking for. You might want to hold off playing it, though, if you're not in the mood to shed a few tears.

(Also, Finding Paradise, To the Moon's slightly lengthier sequel, is now available!)

Inside

Time to Beat: 3.5 hours
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS

Puzzle games, platformers, and puzzle-platformers are some of the most popular indie game genres, and it can be overwhelming trying to pick out the polished gems from the rough. Playdead’s Limbo was one of those gems -- but it’s also a seven-year-old critically acclaimed title, so chances are you’ve probably already played it. (And if you haven’t, well, you may as well stop reading now.)

However, if you’ve been looking for a new indie game to scratch that puzzle-platformer itch, then you might be happy to learn that Playdead delivered on that front a second time.

Inside, like Limbo, is an atmospheric puzzle-platformer set in an unsettling, washed-out world. Inside's excellent sound and visual design really help bring the world to life (as alive as a dystopia can be), and while the puzzles are challenging, they should rarely ever frustrate the player. Better yet, the puzzles tie into the narrative in a way that helps to drive the story forward as the player solves them.

Whether you're looking specifically for a puzzle-platformer or just a great game in general to play, you can't go wrong with Inside.

SUPERHOT

Time to Beat: 2 hours
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

SUPERHOT is one of the most innovative shooters released in years!

Most, if not all, AAA FPS games that feature bullet time only offer it as a tool that the player can use to enhance their fighting ability, generally no more than once or twice per firefight. In SUPERHOT, bullet time is always active -- time moves when you do, and it slows to a near halt when you stand still.

This incredibly stylish first-person shooter proves that there’s a lot of design space to be explored in gameplay mechanics that we more or less take for granted nowadays. You probably won’t find any other first-person shooters that encourage you to plan out your moves like you’re playing some sort of strategy game the same way SUPERHOT will.

Her Story

Time to Beat: 2 hours
Platforms: PC, iOS, Android

Given how popular crime drama is in film and television, it’s a little strange that games rarely ever touch the genre. Maybe the scarcity of crime games explains why game designer Sam Barlow took such an unconventional approach to Her Story, which many might consider to be more of an interactive film than it is a game.

Her Story delivers a non-linear narrative through the screen of an old computer from the '90s, with a database containing several police interviews with a woman named Hannah regarding the death of her husband. The twist is that the interviews were somehow corrupted, and the player must find and sift through the fragmented interview clips in an attempt to piece together the whole story and to discern what actually happened to Hannah’s husband.

The Stanley Parable

Time to Beat: 1.5 hours
Platforms: PC

Many indie games innovate by iterating or expanding upon gameplay and narrative elements found in AAA titles. The Stanley Parable challenges them.

The Stanley Parable is a short narrative game that calls into question the nature of choice and player agency in gaming. With a Gla-DOS-like narrator as their guide (at least in terms of humor), the player takes the role of Stanley, navigating an office complex, following the narrator’s commands ... or disobeying them.

What sets The Stanley Parable apart from more or less every other game in existence is the way in which the narrator will account for every one of the player’s choices, making it a very thorough investigation of the limits of interactive storytelling.

Firewatch

Time to Beat: 4 hours
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Say what you will about “walking simulators”, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a mystery game with a story as riveting as Firewatch’s. The game takes place in the Shoshone National Forest, with the player guiding Henry, a forest ranger recruit, through both the forest and his conversations with his supervisor Delilah.

One of the things that elevates Firewatch above many other walking simulators is the game's focus on dialogue as a way to keep things engaging for the player. The majority of the game's dialogue happens between Henry and Delilah by way of walkie-talkie, giving the player ample opportunity to grow attached to them as the mystery unfolds.

Whether you're an indie game aficionado, you're dissatisfied with the state of AAA gaming, or maybe both or even neither, independent games have a lot to offer the medium as a whole.

Indie game devs have a bit more freedom in how they approach development compared to AAA devs, and sometimes that'll result in games with innovative new mechanics, unusual approaches to storytelling, or even both.

However, indie games are also typically shorter than many AAA titles (most likely due to budget constraints), which isn't necessarily a good or bad thing -- where some players may prefer games that last for dozens of hours, others might be looking for games they can finish in one sitting.

If you're part of the latter group, you're sure to find what you're looking for in the indie scene -- and here are some of the best games it has to offer.

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!

And so that concludes the list of short games worth your time. Hopefully you've seen some of your favorites or found a few new games to add to your wishlist.

Did I miss out any great, short games? Think a game on the list didn't deserve its place? Don't be shy about it, let us know in the comments below!

The Fall

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U
Approximate time to finish the main game: 4 hours

The Fall is a somewhat strange mix of styles, best described as a side-scrolling point and click puzzle platformer. You have a gun too, and at times you'll need to use it, but it never becomes a central component to the game. Most of the time you'll be using it as a light source rather than a weapon. Although the controls are a tad clunky, they get the job done and don't hamper the experience.

Where the game really shines is in its story-telling and the daunting atmosphere in which it is set. The Fall tackles the subject of A.I. with a level of intelligence rarely seen in any medium, which is complimented perfectly by the dark, immersive, sci-fi atmosphere of the game. Combine that with clever writing, fantastic character development and some classic, adventure game puzzle solving, and you've got yourself a winner.

As the first part of an intended trilogy, and after the fantastic way it ends, I'm excited to see where developer Over The Moon go with the forthcoming episodes.

Attack Of The Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS
Approximate time to finish the main game: 3 hours

If I was asked to describe Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale in a single word, I would say "pleasant." A simple word for a simple game. There's nothing challenging or taxing about the experience, it's just a peaceful, relaxing jaunt through a sweet, charming tale that perfectly captures the spirit of childhood. There's a very Ghibli vibe going on here.

The gameplay consists soley of exploring town, talking to people, collecting glims, or playing cards. It's a simple rock, paper, scissors style affair where the victor gets to cast a silly 'spell' (which you can customise the dance to, of course) that will make your opponents fall over.

That's what so great about Attack of the Friday Monsters, the way it shows the world from a child's perspective. Our character, Sohta, notices all the things the adults in his world don't pick up on, and yet, being a child, he can't fully make sense of it all. Of course we as the player know better, and the way it's all presented is what makes Attack of the Friday Monsters shine.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4
Approximate time to finish the main game: 4 hours

I think The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is the first game that actually made me stop playing in awe of the scenic beauty of its game environments just so I could capture a screenshot. Fortunately it has a lot more going for it besides just having gorgeous visuals.

As supernatural detective Paul Prospero, it's your job to piece together the mystery of Ethan Carter's disappearance after the boy in question writes to you for help. That job title doesn't just imply investigation of the supernatural however, as it seems Mr. Prospero has some otherworldy powers of his own. By touching certain objects, you can view its memory of the events surrounding it. You'll then have to place these memories in the correct sequence in order to understand just what took place.

It's a well written and intriguing story with some nice puzzles peppered in between travelling through the game's incredible vistas. The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter actually sums itself up pretty nicely with its opening line:

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"This game is a narrative experience that does not hold your hand."

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SteamWorld Dig

Platforms: PC, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One
Approximate time to finish the main game: 5 hours

By most peoples standards the act of digging would probably be considered a chore, but there's just something about SteamWorld Dig that makes it inexplicably engaging.

Gathering ore provides resources to buy better equipment so you can gather even more ore; it's an oddly satisfying cycle. It's not all digging of course. Set to the backdrop of a robotic western, there's platforming elements and some nifty abilities to help you through them too. Despite the dangers posed by the depths, the game manages to have a relaxing quality about it.

The franchise has since deviated in an unexpected direction with the release of turn-based strategy game SteamWorld Heist, but is by all accounts just as enjoyable.

The Beginner's Guide

Platforms: PC
Approximate time to finish the main game: 1.5 hours

The Beginner's Guide shares a lot of similarities with The Stanley Parable, which makes sense since the former was created by one of the minds behind the latter. Both are clever, unique experiences that have something to say.

With that being said, they're also complete opposites in many ways. The most notable difference comes in their focus. The Beginner's Guide isn't so much about the player but the creator, and you realise that the whole thing is a deeply introspective piece of work for Davey Wreden, who not only made the game, but narrates it. That's also the biggest link between the two games, because one seems to be about the experience of creating the other. That probably doesn't make sense, but it might if you've played them both.

The game hits suprisingly hard, and left me with a heavy weight in my chest; I was still thinking about it for some time after the credits had rolled. Any game that can have that effect is surely worth playing through?

If the game piques your interest I would definitely recommend playing The Stanley Parable first, if you haven't already. I found that as a consequence of playing that game, it affected my decisions in The Beginners Guide; I was always looking for ways to defy the narrator. I'm not sure if this was coincidental or something intended on Wreden's part, but I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt. 

Gunpoint

Platforms: PC
Approximate time to finish the main game: 3 hours

Gunpoint genuinely surprised me. I went into it expecting nothing more than a side-scrolling version of Hotline Miami, I was wrong. Well, actually I was right, that's pretty much what it is, except it's also steeped in an unexpectedly stylish noir atmosphere, with great writing and an interesting puzzle mechanic embedded into levels.

You see it's not all about bursting through doors and beating guards to a pulp, shortly into the game you'll be introduced to a handy tool called the crosslink. Through it you can rewire electrical components on the same circuit.

Suddenly that motion detector becomes a trigger to open a previously locked door. Suddenly you can fry a guard in one building by flicking a lightswitch in another. It's a great mechanic and adds a further layer of complexity to levels beyond just trying to work out how to knock out a guard before he shoots you in the face.

There's also a pretty good story happening between levels, where you can also purchase upgrades and abilities to take on your next mission. The whole thing is complimented by a wonderfully appropriate soundtrack to round off what is a thoroughly satisfying experience.

Papers, Please

Platforms: PC (a PlayStation Vita version is in the works)
Approximate time to finish the main game: 4.5 hours

There's flight simulators, walking simulators, and then there's Papers, Please, a dystopian, Soviet Union inspired, immigration desk jockey simulator.

No really, that is the core gameplay mechanic, you check peoples documents, make sure it all checks out, and permit or deny them entry to the fictional country of Arstotzka based on your inspection. That probably doesn't sound like much fun, I'm not sure "fun" is the right word to describe the game, but it is surprisingly rewarding.

Papers, Please isn't just a fancy spot the different though, things get unpredictably hectic as time goes on and more restrictions are put in place. Your desk becomes cluttered by more and more paperwork, all the while you're on the clock to meet quotas, or you may find some of your pay getting docked.

Thats the other side of Papers, Please, if you don't bring home enough money, your family suffers. Not only are you trying to keep them alive, you'll regularly be faced with moral decisions that affect others too. There's a surprising level of depth to be had within what is a strange yet ingeniously simple concept.

Super Time Force Ultra

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360
Approximate time to finish the main game: 4.5 hours

If you've ever wondered what Cher meant when she sang:

If I could turn back time
If I could find a way
I would have shot up those red barrells
To blow those pesky enemies away

She was almost definitely talking about Super Time Force Ultra (referred to from this point on as STFU), the souped up version of the already good and previously Xbox exclusive Super Time Force.

You ever played a game where you died and thought, "damn, if only there was 3 more me's to help me out"? Well that's basically what STFU is all about. You run, you shoot, you die, you rewind, you run, you jump, you shoot, you run a little more, you die, you rewind. Throw some characters with unique abilities into the mix, like say, a deployable shield that will protect you, and however many rewinded replica's you have running about that the time, and things get pretty interesting. And chaotic.

The game is a blast and is bursting with humour, plus there's loads of characters to unlock and challenges to complete outside the main story missions. It also has a cool Super Meat Boy-esque end of level replay system where you can rewatch all your many you's unleashing carnage. The best part is, if you happen to be a devoted PS+ member, you should already have access to it.

Jazzpunk

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4
Approximate time to finish the main game: 2.5 hours

Jazzpunk has got to be the most ridiculous game I've ever played; it's pure batshit, goofy, insanity. The offbeat humour proves to be the games biggest strength, and possibly the only reason for its existence; it's an undeniably unique experience.

So besides hilarious, what is Jazzpunk? How do I describe it? Ehh... well, you're like this agent guy who has to complete missions, kiss homeless people and engage in pillow fights. Oh, and there's a cat simulator and a wedding themed mini-game parody of Quake. Oh yeah, and the game ends inside a crocodile man's intestines; all pretty standard stuff really.

If you're still confused about what Jazzpunk actually is, maybe this live action trailer for the game will explain it a little better than I can:

That clear it all up for you? Okay, good.

To the Moon

Platforms: PC
Approximate time to finish the main game: 4 hours

To the Moon is a rare thing indeed, a game that manages, despite its limitations, to evoke genuine emotion in the player. I won't deny, I was a little choked up come the end credits.

Those seeking thrilling gameplay should look elsewhere, To the Moon is very much a story driven experience, but it's a story worth telling. You'll play the role of Dr's Wyatt and Rosaleane, who recreate the memories of dying patients to help them live out experiences they never got to fulfill in life, if only in their minds. Memories are often messy things, however, and it will take a little detective work to piece together this particular patients troubled past.

I'm not sure any amount of writing about it or watching trailers like the one above will do justice the heartfelt experience of actually playing the game.

The Stanley Parable

Platform: PC
Approximate time to finish the main game: ???

The Stanley Parable is another one of those games you're probably already quite familiar with, and if not, to describe it in detail would be to ruin the experience -- and it is an experience.

The game explores the theme of narrative in gaming, and what happens when you decide to break the rules. You can 'beat' the game in 10 minutes, or 15 minutes, or 30 minutes; and yet, 2 hours later, you'll still be playing, you'll still be laughing, and you'll still be discovering new endings.

The Stanley Parable did something different, and it did it by being funny, clever and intriguing. I can only complain about its somewhat hefty price tag, but that's what Steam sales are for, right?

Grow Home

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4
Approximate time to finish the main game: 3 hours

Grow Home isn't your typical gaming experience; your only real enemy is gravity and your only goals are to explore, grow and climb.

As the player, you'll control B.U.D., a procedurally animated robot who, as a result, is a tad clumsy in his movements. You'll have control of his upper limbs, allowing you to climb the stalk of a giant plant which you'll have to grow until it reaches the stars, where your spaceship awaits. You do this by riding offshoots into nearby floating islands, from which the plant will draw energy, allowing it to grow higher.

For all the collectible seekers out there, there's also enough to search for and discover to considerably lengthen your time with Grow Home. There's something incredibly soothing about the whole experience, it's the perfect game for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

A warning though, for my fellow inverted brethren, you either have to invert both axis' (who does that?) or none. As you can imagine, this can lead to some frustration and may confuse your brain when trying to go back to normal afterwards, but it's worth it. There's fewer games that exhibit greater charm than Grow Home.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Approximate time to finish the main game: 4.5 hours

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, as its name suggests, came about as a standalone DLC for Far Cry 3, and was, in my opinion, a lot more fun.

Blood Dragon basically takes all the best bits from Far Cry 3, drowns it in a gaudy, retro, neon aesthetic, and then ramps up the pace to maximum levels. From the very get-go you'll be obliterating goons with gatling guns and blowing up bases; the carnage is relentless, and it's glorious. Like Far Cry 3, there's also outposts to capture, collectibles to find and such like things, which can extend the game to almost double its length. 

If you're still not sold, there's a button reserved solely for giving the middle finger, and you get to fight giant neon dinosaurs (sorry, Blood Dragons) that shoot laser beams from their heads, what more do you want?

Freedom Planet

Platforms: PC, Wii U
Approximate time to finish the main game: 4.5 hours

Freedom Planet is a love letter to the fast-paced action-platformers of days gone by, i.e. the Sonic game you've been wanting since Sonic & Knuckles that Sega could never deliver.

While the story is pretty standard fare and I can't imagine the cheesy dialogue appealing to many, the gameplay is simply outstanding. Levels have been well designed to facilitate speed, with plenty of alternate routes to deviate along, while boss battles are generally challenging and engaging. There's also several characters to choose from, each with their own little differences, to mix up the action and add some replayability. This is all perfectly complimented by the games beautiful pixel art visuals.

This has to be one of the best games this genre has to offer, and with a sequel currently in development, it's a series I personally hope to see more of.

Portal

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Approximate time to finish the main game: 3 hours

You already knew it was coming, right? I couldn't very well make the list without it, so I thought I'd get it out of the way early. I doubt Portal is a game that really needs any introduction at this point, but just in case, here's the run down.

Basically, you have a gun, it makes portals, you solve puzzles by launching yourself and other objects through said portals, and at the end of it all there will be cake. It's pretty hilarious and if you don't enjoy it you probably don't have a soul. Just kidding, kind of.

Amazingly Portal 2 managed to improve upon the game in almost every way, no mean feat. Thankfully this improvement extended to the game's length, which is why it is Portal and not its sequel making an appearance on this list, but both come highly recommended.

With the hectic pace of the modern world, more and more I hear people say "I don't have time to play video games anymore". A tragic thing indeed. But not every game needs to be a sprawling epic. A lot of games in recent years have been making the most of shorter runtimes, and are often all the better for it.

It should be noted that while there are many rogue-likes that can be finished in this time, most people aren't going to see them through to the end on their first run, so I won't be including any of those.

So without further ado and in no particular order, here's fifteen short games worth playing that won't take you more than 5 hours from start to finish, assuming you're not the completionist sort.