this post was submitted on 24 Dec 2023
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Patient Gamers

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So this isn't directly related to patientgaming but my hardware and personal tastes kind of filter me to playing games no newer than five years old.

I'm looking for some recommendations for games that can be completed within ten hours. I've realized recently that this is the sweet spot how much I enjoy playing a game before I get bored of it. I'm open to all types of games. Thanks in advance!

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

I also love short-ish games, so hopefully one of these strikes your fancy. You didn't specify a preferred genre or other games you liked, so I'm going to just throw some out there:

Adventure/Puzzle

  • Stacking - fun adventure puzzle game based on matryoshka dolls
  • Little Nightmares - fantastic puzzle game stuff great atmosphere and horror elements; similar to INSIDE and Limbo
  • Abzû - underwater exploration with light puzzle mechanics
  • Ys 1 and 2 - pretty old, but it's my favorite Ys game; Ys Origin is a bit newer, but also a bit longer (~11 hours per playthrough, need 3 for full story, but each plays differently)

Puzzle

  • Manifold Garden - puzzle game where you manipulate gravity
  • Hexlogic - sudoku-like
  • SUPERHOT - shooter that plays like a puzzle game
  • Magrunner - just ignore the story, the puzzles are pretty good
  • Portal - the OG puzzle game, must play if you haven't; second is about twice as long

ARPG/Souls-like

  • Death's Door - just started, but it's looking good
  • Ittle Dew - Zelda-like with lots of satire about the genre
  • Furi - boss rush only
  • Titan Souls - boss rush, but both you and the boss has 1HP

Narrative heavy

  • Telltale Batman or The Walking Dead - narrative heavy game with walking simulator sections; choices matter (but not a ton); great if you want a decent interactive story
  • What Remains of Edith Finch - explore your old home to learn everyone's secrets
  • Oxenfree - explore Island to uncover its secrets; replay value for alternate endings

Metroidvania

  • Headlander - Metroidvania where you play as a disembodied head that can attach to other bodies
  • Ori and the Blind Forest

Point and Click

  • Darkside Detective - point and click with a great sense of humor
  • Broken Age - you're a virgin about to be sacrificed, and you're not sold on the idea
  • Deponia - earth is completely wrecked, and you want off; quite funny

AAA/high production value

  • Ryse: Son of Rome - not amazing, but a pretty satisfyingly average experience
  • Call of Juarez: Gunslinger - shooter a bit after the US civil war

I have more, just let me know what you like and I can try to give more recs.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago (2 children)

What Remains of Edith Finch - explore your old home to learn everyone’s secrets

I love that game.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Me too! I also highly recommend:

Gone Home - explore your old home to learn everyone’s secrets

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Gone Home was good, yes!

I feel like it generates way more of a spooky atmosphere, too. I honestly thought I was playing a horror game for the first half, before I finally realized it wasn't going to jump scare me and I could relax.

In a similar vein, The Suicide Of Rachel Foster is a decent experience. It's not nearly as good, to be clear, but it's worth playing imo. It's much creepier, however.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Dear Esther was similar, but less of a game and more of an audio visual experience. Some I haven't played yet:

  • Before Your Eyes
  • Vanishing of Ethan Carter
[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

I just finished Deaths Door and it was a very enjoyable game to play on the go or in bed (steamdeck). Took me about 17 hours to finish it.