Games have steadily become larger and larger as the generations go on. Thanks to the most advanced console and PC technology, developers are able to craft massive worlds and stories that would have been impossible in the past. While many of us enjoy sinking our teeth into a meaty 100-hour-long game from time to time, eventually fatigue will set in. That’s where games on the other end of the spectrum come in. These games aren’t afraid to tell a tight, compact story, or to explore a single gameplay concept, and then call it a day without stretching things out. They are no less impactful or memorable than their massive counterparts, and may even be superior in some player’s eyes. Here are a few of the best games you can beat in a single day to cleanse your palate with some more experimental titles.
Minit is so focused on time that it even truncates its title to speed things up. This is an indie title clearly inspired by classic 2D adventure games like Zelda, but with an important twist: your character can only live for 60 seconds at a time. Once that minute expires, you will be sent back to the last place you rested, but anything you accomplish in that time persists. The aim then becomes to identify a task, figure out how to complete it within 60 seconds, and then take whatever you gain from it to push forward. It’s a charming little game that won’t take more than an hour or two, which is the perfect size to keep you from feeling overwhelmed./dt_media]