How long it takes to beat a game matters to those of us who have to spend our time. Not everyone wants to jump into an adventure, they have to play for 30 hours to enjoy. The following list will help those ingrained in the Sony ecosystem to find a few shorter games to play on their PS5 or any of the older Sony consoles.
Remember, the value in a video game isn’t determined by the number of hours you’ve played, but by the quality of those hours — no matter how many or how few there were. Plus, you can always beat these games multiple times.
8 The Order: 1886
Ready at Dawn’s The Order: 1886 sparked quite a debate about length in games and the value you get from a purchase. It was a full-fledged PS4 game and only took four hours to beat. This was not helped by the lack of bonus features to increase the replay value.
Still, The Order: 1886 is a unique cinematic gaming experience set in a unique steampunk world. Nowadays it should be easy to play for a discounted price. The graphics are also breathtakingly beautiful.
7 Killzone: Mercenary
The Killzone games on consoles are a bit too big to put on this list. However, Killzone: Mercenary on the PS Vita is just small enough to fit into a late night gaming session. If you’re on a portable console, you can also beat it in a relatively long bus ride.
The game was a technical powerhouse for Sony’s doomed handheld and played pretty well too. First-person shooters had a reputation for failing on handhelds, but the addition of a second analog stick meant the genre could finally work the same way it does with modern controllers.
6 Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
The first Uncharted game is Nathan Drake’s smallest adventure, but this remains one of its strengths more than a decade after its release. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune wastes no time getting started and moves quickly from chapter to chapter.
Despite the story’s fast pace, it still does a great job of introducing us to characters we’d get to know better in three more games (four, if you count the Vita game Golden Abyss). The shots aren’t as tight as the sequels, but it’s still perfectly adequate for what it’s intended to do.
5 The bouncer
The Bouncer PS2 Gameplay
It might be surprising to see a Square game here, as the developer is best known for epic RPGs like Final Fantasy. The Bouncer is a fighter that only takes a few hours to defeat.
However, replaying the game is encouraged as the story unfolds differently depending on which of the three protagonists you choose for each battle. The combat is a bit uneven, especially in the competitive multiplayer modes, but it’s technically impressive for the early days of the PS2. It also included ragdoll physics long before it was common.
4 icon
This PS2 puzzle platformer is still touted as one of the greatest games of all time today. While it didn’t sell well upon release, it had a huge influence on many other popular titles later on.
The way it tells the story and reinforces the themes through gameplay is a staple of the developer, who would also go on to make Shadow of the Colossus. Most of the game is an escort mission, but it plays into the puzzles and doesn’t fall into the pitfalls and inconveniences that other escort mission games have.
3 Jumping Flash
Developers experimented a lot in the early days of 3D gaming. Platformers in particular tried some interesting things and went through some growing pains, not all of which were pretty.
Jumping Flash is unique because of the era in which it was created. It is a 3D platformer where players control the protagonist from a first-person perspective. Jumping through these environments early in the PS1’s lifespan was impressive. Even if you don’t like the way it plays, it’s at least a short adventure.
2 Um Sorry Lammy
Um Shame Lammy PS1
Rhythm games existed long before those of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. The PS1 had a slew of notable and unique titles in the genre, including Vib-Ribbon and Parappa the Rapper. The developer of the latter also made Um Jammer Lammy. Where Parappa the Rapper raps and vocalises, Um Jammer Lammy lets you play the guitar.
In addition to the fun gameplay and unique art style, the original songs in the game are earwigs that you will be humming long after you shut down the game. It doesn’t take long to get through the story, but you’ll likely replay the songs to get higher scores.
1 Time Splitters
Timesplitters PS2 launch title
The PS1 had some good first-person shooters, but nothing that could rival GoldenEye or Perfect Dark on the N64. Sony’s second console came out of the gate with TimeSplitters, which many consider to be the spiritual successor to the aforementioned games. The time-hopping shooter features environments modeled after various historical settings and the future.
It also includes a whole host of customizable multiplayer options. The campaign is extremely short and simple, far removed from the more complex objectives of GoldenEye and Perfect Dark. For each mission you just need to find an item and take it to the target. You can easily zoom through each level in minutes and beat the game in just a few hours.
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