Summary
Since the advent of video games, critics have rated games partly on their lengths, which led to ballooning playtimes and stories that far exceed the weekend allowance for theaverage working adult. However, some video games have seen the wisdom of packing great storytelling and gameplay into a shorter amount of time. Some of them even thread their story into a 24-hour window or under, which lets players experience the action in near-real-time.
The story of these games can be beaten with no time-travel tricks in under a day (although 100% might take a little longer). Although players might (and generally should) break the playthrough up across multiple play sessions, the protagonists of these titles can look back on the experience as an anniversary of a single, action-packed day.
A lot happens over the course ofControl’s story. Jesse becomes the director of the Federal Bureau of Control, confronts aninsidious Eldrich threat, and discovers the truth about her long-lost brother. The kicker is that this all happens in one night.
Just as time warps when a person is faced with a lot of changes, the Oldest House,Control’s central location (besides the creepy hotel, inexplicable otherworldly mining pit, and existential void) grows and shrinks to accommodate the shifting realities and extraordinary events that unfold during the night of the Hiss invasion.
This game is a day in the life of a violent man dressed as a bat in an insane asylum, except instead of being treated for his trauma and subsequent maladaptive behavior, Bruce Wayne is the one enforcing order.Batman Arkham Asylumtakes place over one single nightmarish night, during which the Joker and pretty much Batman’s entire rogue gallery take over the institute. Batman’s ability to put down the chaos might be seen as an indication of his efficiency as a crime fighter.
However, not two years later, the same criminals (no doubt generated as a result of thesystematic poverty and inequalityperpetuated by Gotham’s corrupt elite) are running a rampage in Arkham City, a walled-off district built to contain them converted from Gotham’s poorest slums, and Batman once again directs his wealth into personally beating down the mentally ill criminals to secure order.
Enough happens in God of War (2018) to fill an entire epic poem’s worth, from battling Norse gods and mythological creatures to grappling with themes of fatherhood, grief, and personal redemption, but thanks to some clever, behind-the-scenes loading tricks, it’s possible to experience the entire story in around 20 hours in an unbroken single shot.
Not many mortals can say that they climbed a mountain, fought their way through several realms,murdered a few other powerful gods, and then climbed back down without taking a single power nap, even if time flows differently between each domain, but to a bonafide god of war like Kratos and his boy, it’s just another notch on his axe.
In a setup akin to some of the best supernatural teen flicks of the 80s, a group of friends visit an island for a night of adventure. After a long night of exploration, they encounter eerie phenomena that unravel the island’s dark secrets and challenge their understanding of reality, each other, and themselves.
Replayability is something that (without spoiling it)Oxenfreenicely accommodates in one of the possible endings. Thanks toOxenfree’s stellar writing, players will want to dive back in as soon as the credits roll. However, one full story playthrough takes place over exactly one very important night in a time frame that could easily mirror the evening a player would need to finish the game.
When Foxhound declares their demands shortly before the events ofMetal Gear Solid, they give only 24 hours before promising to make good on their promise to launch a nuclear warhead. Snake is constantly reminded of how much time is left during his mission, amping up the stakes and creating a palpable sense of urgency as the clock ticks down.
TheMetal Gearseries is known for its cinematic influences, but this short time limit (and the fact that the player can see every square inch of their journey, boththe mundane and remarkable, across Shadow Moses) creates an experience that can’t be captured in any other medium, not even TV shows built around the premise of a 24-hour deadline, as everything seemingly hinges on the tenacity and skill of the player.
BothA Short Hike’s title and price are indicative of the hours of play available through this charming indie game about a bird, Claire, trying to reach the top of a mountain to receive a very important phone call. Considering thatA Short Hikewas rapidly developedwith the intention that it could be finished in only a couple of hours, the story easily clocks in at under a day.
Naturally, the events of the entire game take place within this timeframe. The player is never rushed to meet their objective, and there are plenty of activities and characters to become distracted by on the journey to the top, but unless a player approaches the game with a “reverse speedrun” mentality, completing it will hardly consume more than an afternoon.
