In recent years, we've been treated to a host of wonderful indie games that offer up memorable experiences without demanding too much of your time. From spooky experiences like Man of Medan to relaxing gems and immersive narrative adventures like Stray, you're sure to find something here for you in our round up of the best short games.
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00:00 [MUSIC]
00:03 This list is for anyone looking for something you can pick up and play
00:06 without having to invest lots of time.
00:08 In recent years, we've been treated to a host of wonderful indie games
00:12 that offer up memorable experiences,
00:14 from spooky experiences to relaxing gems
00:17 and immersive narrative adventures,
00:19 and of course, the game with a cat.
00:21 You're sure to find something here for you
00:23 in our roundup of six games you can finish in six hours or less.
00:27 "Do you have a problem?"
00:28 "Yeah, I got a problem with you."
00:29 "I'm not going to let you go."
00:31 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:33 "I'm not going to let you go."
00:34 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:36 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:38 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:40 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:42 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:44 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:46 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:48 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:50 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:52 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:54 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:56 "I'm going to get you out of here."
00:58 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:00 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:02 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:04 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:06 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:08 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:10 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:12 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:14 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:16 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:18 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:20 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:22 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:24 "I'm going to get you out of here."
01:26 In case you need any more convincing,
01:28 you control a stray cat who falls into a world populated by robots
01:32 and must explore and solve puzzles to return to his family.
01:36 Which should take you around six hours.
01:38 Regardless of whether you're a cat lover
01:40 or just fancy a brilliant little platformer to sink into,
01:43 then Stray is an excellent romp.
01:46 Yes, it does help if you're a cat lover
01:48 because it's so beautifully animated
01:50 and captures the cat's personality so perfectly,
01:52 but there's also so much more to love here.
01:55 Between the alluring semi-post-apocalyptic story,
01:58 the dense atmospheric world
02:00 and the cast of quirky characters that inhabit it,
02:03 Blue Twelve Studios has created a fantastic experience.
02:06 What Remains of Edith Finch is an interactive walking sim
02:12 about the history of a cursed family living in the woods.
02:15 Lasting roughly three hours,
02:17 it presents an emotional range and depth
02:19 that's richer and more affecting
02:21 than dozens of other, much longer games that released in 2017.
02:25 Developer Giant Sparrow has crafted a series of bite-sized vignettes
02:29 akin to an anthology of short stories.
02:31 But while each tale differs in gameplay variety,
02:34 all share a bittersweet fondness for childhood,
02:37 family and friendship that tugs at the heartstrings
02:40 and tear ducts in ways you won't be expecting.
02:43 Set aside a cold, rainy evening by the fire for this one.
02:49 This split-screen co-op game has to be played with another human being,
02:53 either locally or online.
02:55 A Way Out is by far the longest game on this list,
02:59 taking an average of six hours to complete its story.
03:02 But the extended evening binge is well worth the journey with a friend.
03:06 Enjoyed together right next to each other on the same couch
03:09 or through the wonders of the internet.
03:11 Created by brothers, a tale of two sons, Joseph Farrars,
03:14 A Way Out is a co-op game like no other.
03:16 Maintaining and experimenting with the split-screen format
03:19 that is usually deployed as nothing more than a necessary evil
03:22 to accommodate local multiplayer.
03:24 Two players will take the roles of Vincent and Leo,
03:27 a pair of convicts on a high-stakes prison break.
03:30 And your subsequent escape is essentially made up of a diverse series of mini-games,
03:35 all of which revolve around tight co-op mechanics.
03:38 It's a unique, well-crafted experience
03:40 with a surprisingly engaging story at its heart.
03:43 Just make sure the person you're playing with is one you don't mind
03:46 spending six consecutive hours alongside.
03:48 Journey is a therapeutic odyssey set across a glistening desert landscape.
03:55 Completely wordless, deliberately cryptic,
03:58 and nay a hint of user interface in sight.
04:01 Journey is just two hours long, but its legacy will last a lifetime.
04:06 The story seems like nothing more than vague symbolism at first,
04:09 but developer That Game Company communicates its message
04:12 through a bespoke set of gameplay languages and rhythms
04:15 that elevates Journey's narrative into something much greater,
04:18 almost indescribable in its experimental impact.
04:22 It's also one of the few multiplayer games
04:24 to feel truly seamless in its interactions with other players.
04:28 And you'll still find fellow strangers making the same treacherous odyssey online to this day.
04:33 There are hundreds of theories and analytical think-pieces as to what it all means,
04:38 but at its core, Journey is exactly what it says.
04:41 It's an expedition from point A to point B that all of us can relate to.
04:46 Firewatch is our final game on this list and is a story-focused first-person adventure
04:53 where you play as a newly recruited park ranger running from a troubled past.
04:58 Developer Campo Santo condenses the events of several months
05:02 into a four-hour, lightly interactive adventure set in the Wyoming wilderness.
05:07 The results are as good as you'd expect from a story penned by the lead writer of Telltale's The Walking Dead.
05:13 With award-winning central performances from its two leads, Rick Sommer and Cissy Jones,
05:18 Firewatch uses Olly Moss' striking deception of rural America
05:22 as a backdrop for its meditation on aging and remorse.
05:26 There's more uplifting moments in there too,
05:28 and Campo Santo's knack for the written word creates some genuinely amusing moments.
05:33 Plus, you can pick up a turtle, so what's not to like?
05:37 Some will say Firewatch's story is a little on the disappointing side,
05:41 deliberately undercutting its central mystery with something much less exciting than it makes out to be.
05:46 But you'll have been glad to have embarked on this brief getaway to the country either way.
05:51 "You're not in your tower?"
05:53 "No, I'm not."
05:54 "Then who is?"
05:56 What's your favourite game to finish in an afternoon?
06:00 Let us know in the comments below and hit that subscribe button so you never miss another video.
06:05 See you in the next one.
06:06 [outro music]