A cluttered world map riddled with icons, animals to hunt, outposts to capture, random side-missions, easter eggs, a hidden mission... Trying to complete modern games often feels like a fool's errand when the developers never had the wisdom of "less is often more," demanding dozens of hours from players to finish their games. However, there are exceptions, thankfully.
Come, let's take a look at four games that don't take longer than two hours to master.
In "Donut County," the player moves a steadily growing hole. The more objects the hole swallows, the larger it becomes.
While a wooden chair just fits through the opening at first, neither high-rise buildings nor trucks are safe from the insatiable orifice on the way to the finale.
The game is worth playing because of its pretty pastel colors, friendly game world and nice story. And thanks to the great implementation of the unusual game principle, it's also a lot of fun to play.
The hero of "The Darkside Detective" is a usually clever, but sometimes dumb, detective who investigates strange supernatural cases, always accompanied by a loyal colleague from the small town police station.
Sometimes it's about sad ghosts, sometimes about lost demons. Players have to use their brains to solve the cases as the mysteries are entertaining and cleverly constructed. It's all packaged in a detailed pixel look with a lot of retro charm.
Stylish, tactical, demanding: "Superhot" is a game that stylizes fighting against a superior force into a small work of art.
From a first-person perspective, players have to throw objects at approaching opponents, dodge their bullets and finally disarm them.
The unusual thing is that the opponents only move if the player moves too. If the player remains motionless, nothing happens. The game thus resembles chess, in that every move has to be carefully thought out.
"Superhot" is a slow-motion action game that requires brains and spatial thinking.
In "A Short Hike" the player is a small raven that sets out on a hike through a friendly, no-stress world. There is a destination, but how long that should take to reach and which path is taken is up to the player to decide.
Detours are possible as there are other hikers everywhere who tell their stories and want to send the player on short missions.
Strolling has seldom been more beautiful and relaxed. This is a game that asks little but gives a lot as you follow your own path at your own pace in a wonderfully colorful world.
