Some games keep us glued to the screen for dozens, sometimes hundreds of hours. But often we don’t have the time for that. Below we recommend five games that are guaranteed to keep you occupied for just one evening, but are still really good.
Game worlds are getting bigger and bigger, especially in the AAA sector. Or the games have a live service approach and want to keep us hooked for as long as possible. But sometimes less is more. In this article, we would like to introduce you to five great titles that won’t cost you more than an evening of your valuable time.
Virginia
Genre: Adventure/Walking Simulator | Developer: VariableState | Platform: PC, macOS, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | Release: 22 September 2016
What kind of game is this? In Virginia, you play a young FBI agent who visits the small town of Kingdom to solve the case of a missing boy.
What starts off harmlessly quickly develops into a surreal trip through the small American town, through the protagonist’s dreams and into her past. Virginia is primarily a walking simulator and has only a few gameplay elements. It is more of a playable film with beautiful, reduced graphics.
Virginia only lasts around two hours and will keep you occupied for a long time. The story is puzzling and unexplained. Fans of David Lynch and the series Twin Peaks will get their money’s worth here thanks to the numerous references.
Journey
Genre: Adventures | Developer: thatgamecompany | Platform: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, PC | Release: 14 March 2012
What kind of game is this? Journey takes you into the desert. You play a small character who can fly high into the air and glide over the dunes thanks to his scarf. There is hardly any history here. Your goal is a faraway mountain, and on the way you keep discovering ruins of a lost people.
You have to piece together what exactly happened. As you get closer and closer to the mountain, you delve deeper into the mythology of this world.
What’s special about Journey is the multiplayer. Without warning, the game throws other players into your world. Even 12 years after its release, you can still find some. This way, you can continue your journey together and communicate with each other using sounds at the touch of a button.
Or you can skip it and enjoy the two-hour journey alone. Whatever you do, Journey offers a fascinating experience that can be very emotional with limited resources.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Genre: Action Adventure | Developer: Starbreeze Studios| Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, iOS, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Android, Amazon Luna | Release: 7 August 2013
What kind of game is this? If you don’t want to sit alone on the couch or in front of the PC, but want to spend a cozy evening playing co-op, we recommend Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. It’s about two brothers who go in search of the water of life to cure their sick father.
The special thing: You control both brothers with just one controller. This means you have the option of having each brother controlled by one player. This makes the adventure easier because you often have to have both brothers perform different actions at the same time. In the remake version of the game, there is also a “real” co-op mode with two controllers.
After about three hours, the game is over. Thanks to the captivating story, the dense atmosphere and the high level of emotion, you won’t forget Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons anytime soon.
You will find two more recommendations on the next page.