Action games are some of the best video games around. The sheer breadth of this genre helps keep it fresh. From 2D side-scrollers to first-person shooters, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
With games getting larger and longer as of late, it can be difficult to find time to play these sorts of games. Luckily, there is still a large selection of quality action titles that take no more than an afternoon to complete. Their short length does not take away from their quality. Instead, it enhances it and makes the experience all the more memorable. Here are 10 short but fantastic action games you need to try.
10 Superhot
Superhot is a simple action game that is an excellent mix of strategy and quick thinking. This game's gimmick is time only moves when you do, but it adds so much to the FPS formula.
Players can use pistols, rifles, swords, and objects from the environment to disorient and kill each enemy before they do the same to you. You die in one shot, but so do your foes. You can punch people so they drop their gun, grab it in slow-motion, then blast them with their firearm. This game provides a fun, 4-hour campaign with additional modes that unlock once you beat the game. It's also unbelievably fun in VR.
9 Portal
If shooting people isn't your thing, Portal is a fantastic first-person puzzle game. You can easily beat this game in a couple of hours once you understand how portals work.
Portal lets players control Chell, a test subject for Aperture Science. The game grants you a portal gun to solve deadly lab experiments to, hopefully, escape. Most of the game's humor comes from the game's antagonist, GLaDOS, who wants nothing more than to see you suffer. Navigating deadly traps with a portal gun is still fun despite the game's age.
8 The Stanley Parable
The Stanley Parable can be compared to the rather controversial "walking simulator" genre with games like Gone Home or Everybody's Gone to the Rapture.
It is so much more than that, though. This game is focused more on witty dialogue and humor than finding obscure clues in the environment. You play as Stanley, an office worker who realizes that all of his co-workers are missing. Instead of taking a horror approach, the game instead presents a narrator who is brimming with witty comments. Choices you make in the game alter the ending you receive, giving the game great replay value despite only taking a couple of hours to beat.
7 Limbo
Side-scrollers are notoriously difficult, requiring precise timing on jumps or mechanics to survive. Most rely on reflexes, but Limbo is different than the rest.
This 2D side-scroller is about solving various puzzles or encounters through trial and error. Unlike most games, when you get it wrong, you're likely killed. You take control of a boy that can die to nearly everything this black and white horror-scape throws at him. Giant spiders are just one example of what you can find. If trial and error doesn't bother you, consider trying and finishing this game in a day or weekend.
6 Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
The year is 2007. Neon lights cover the entire planet as Vietnam War 2 has left North America into a pile of rubble. Only you, a cyber commando, can save the world from dragons and cyborg soldiers.
As absurd as that premise is, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon takes inspiration from classic 80's culture and film to create an over-the-top expansion for Far Cry 3. Gameplay-wise, it is exactly the same as Far Cry 3 but much shorter, taking anywhere from 4 to 12 hours to beat depending on side content. Visually, this game is significantly different than Far Cry 3, so much so that its similarities with the base game don't shine through until you've invested plenty of time in it. The sheer creativity of this expansion and light-hearted humor make this one of the best DLCs ever released for a video game.
5 Journey
While Journey can be beaten within two hours, the impact this game can have on you is not to be understated. There is no combat or deep puzzles. Spoilers ahead!
Journey is about navigating a world infinitely greater than you. Players spend the game navigating the massive desert by running, flying, and interacting with the environment to progress. Random players can join you and roam with you to make the journey with you. Due to the game not displaying names until you beat the game, it presents a sense of comradery and friendship that is seldom in video games.
4 Bastion
Bastion's unique gimmick is its narrator, effectively as much of a main character as you are. He comments on what you do and narrates the entire experience in a non-intrusive way.
Of course, that is selling the game short of its other accomplishments. This rogue-like action game combines inspired visuals with a phenomenal soundtrack, engaging combat, and enough variety in weapons and enemies to make repeat playthroughs of this rather short game a treat. Even though it was released in 2011, this game hasn't aged a day mechanically or in its overall fun factor.
3 Abzu
The art director of Journey made their own game. Instead of wandering a vast desert with a companion, however, you wander the mysterious depths of our ocean to find all forms of marine life.
You can easily beat this game in under two hours, but the overall experience this game provides is hard to top. The sheer scale of the underwater flora and creatures not only brings awe to the player, but it is also educational in how underwater ecosystems work. It is a truly beautiful experience that you shouldn't miss.
2 Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
An emotional rollercoaster is the best way to describe this incredible indie game. As the name implies, you take control of two brothers as they search for a way to help their ill father.
Without spoiling too much, the game gets incredibly emotional, dealing with plenty of heavy topics like suicide and heroism throughout the adventure. Each thumbstick on your controller moves one of the brothers, resulting in a bizarre control scheme. Puzzles can get rather complex, as each brother has unique strengths and weaknesses you need to exploit to continue the journey. You can easily beat this game in an afternoon, and you should. Few games can pull on your heartstrings like this one.
1 DOOM (2016)
Few AAA video games can bring the same level of joy as DOOM can. The 2016 reboot found a way to bring the adrenaline-fueled FPS action to the modern era better than ever.
The campaign for DOOM is filled with secrets, hidden challenges, and demons to blast in the face. This game is not about the story, but rather the high-octane gameplay and experimentation of various weapons, powerups, and sweet executions called glory kills. It takes anywhere from 4 to 8 hours to beat, depending on your skill level and difficulty setting. If you want to play one of the most engaging FPS titles of the eighth generation, look no further than DOOM.