Weekends are for a lot of things, but they are especially great for playing games. Most people don’t have to work on the weekends, which gives them more time than they have during the week. Sometimes it’s great to sink into the couch with one game and play the entire thing, and sometimes it’s nice to go through a roster of classics and try to get through as many as possible.
For anyone who has been sitting on the following games or franchises: good news! The following classics can all be finished in less than three hours. Even with short playtimes, they are meaty experiences that can quite possibly change how someone perceives games. Whether these games are completed in a weekend or whenever players find time during the week, it doesn’t matter because they all rule.
Astro’s Playroom
The PS5’s Best Launch Game
- Main Story: 3 hours
- Main + Sides: 4 hours
- Completionist: 5 hours
Astro’s Playroomwas like a proof of concept for Astro Bot, but the nice thing about this game is its short length, impressive creativity, and that it was free with every PlayStation account when players got a PS5 at launch. The levels are imaginative and make good use of the PS5 DualSense controller, like the tactile feedback players get when rolling a ball.
Even standing in the rain is an immersive experience as players can feel and hear the droplets hitting the little bot’s head-umbrella. While the base game can be completed in three hours, the bonuses are well worth the extra effort and will only add an hour or two to the overall runtime.
Portal
This Was A Triumph
- Main Story: 3 hours
- Main + Sides: 5 hours
- Completionist: 10.5 hours
Before Portal, puzzle games rarely had a narrative attached, and if they did, they were simple. Valve helped create a dynamic world within Portal thanks to GLaDOS, a robotic personality that guides the player through test rooms. Slowly, things start to become a little unhinged as it’s clear GLaDOS has a major issue with humanity.
Beyond the story, the portal-based puzzles were a stroke of genius. Every time players solved a puzzle, they would get a boost in confidence, which all led up to a truly jaw-dropping finale. It's an impressive work of puzzle game magic that continues to draw in players to this day.
Untitled Goose Game
Honk Honk!
- Main Story: 3 hours
- Main + Sides: 4 hours
- Completionist: 6 hours
Untitled Goose Game may not have mile-a-minute action, but it is a silly stealth-lite game that will have players charmed. As a goose, players will have to go from scene to scene, figuring out how to get to the next area. Sometimes that requires stealing keys from a farmer to open a gate; other times it means chasing a shopkeeper away from his store.
With a post-launch update, players now have the option to play with a friend, which makes Untitled Goose Game a whole new experience. Alone or with a friend, there’s simply nothing as unhinged as playing the titular goose and being a honking, rude menace to society.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
Pizza Time
- Main Story: 3 hours
- Main + Sides: 4 hours
- Completionist: 19.5 hours
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revengeis an homage to the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, and is basically a direct sequel. Like the original game, this sequel is a beat ‘em up, but with modern twists, including character leveling and six-player co-op.
The world map is akin to Super Mario World, allowing players to replay any level they want if they're looking to experience it as a new character. From start to finish, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge will feel like a warm 90s nostalgia blanket, and it’s one of the best TMNT games to date.
Bright Memory: Infinite
A Crushing FPS
- Main Story: 2 hours
- Main + Sides: 2.5 hours
- Completionist: 6 hours
There aren’t many high-impact first-person shooters that can be completed in under three hours, but Bright Memory: Infinite is one of the select few that can. Set within a world where time is collapsing, players will go through China-inspired levels, blasting everyone from armored soldiers that look like they came out of Dynasty Warriors to more traditional armed gunmen.
Players can acquire a variety of weapons, from guns to a trusty sword for close-quarters combat, and powers can be unlocked via upgrades. One of the coolest abilities allows players to essentially force grab an enemy and crush them like a more intense Darth Vader, and that’s a sight to behold.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
