Xbox Game Pass: Games That Can Be Beaten In Under 5 Hours

Xbox Game Pass contains games that can keep players entertained for a whole month on their own. Fallout, Dragon Age, Forza Horizon, and Yakuza are all known for producing lengthy campaigns that could potentially require an investment exceeding 30 hours. Meanwhile, series like Fable, Halo, and Gears of War are great options for people searching for single-player adventures lasting roughly between 10–20 hours.

As enjoyable as an expansive open-world game can be, there is also a time and place for more concise stories. These titles can be nice palate cleansers between meatier packages, or they could be slotted in when someone only has a day left in their subscription. What are some of the best short games on Xbox Game Pass?

Bramble: The Mountain King

Release Date

April 27, 2023

Developer

Dimfrost Studio

Genre

Action, Adventure

Xbox Store Link

Bramble: The Mountain King

This indie darling follows a child, Olle, as he travels through a magical forest to save his missing sister. Bramble: The Mountain King plays out like a dark fairy tale inspired by Nordic mythology, and the game does an impeccable job of bringing to life figures from these stories. Along with being quite terrifying at times, these creatures are presented with respect and depth since they feel like they belong in this world rather than just coming across as intruders.

Gameplay-wise, Bramble: The Mountain King is a straightforward puzzle-stealth project that generally tasks players with staying out of the monsters’ views. While nothing to write home about, the gameplay loop is decent enough to not get in the way of the campaign’s strengths: its presentation and story.

Somerville

Release Date

November 15, 2022

Developer

Jumpship

Genre

Adventure

Xbox Store Link

Somerville

Coming from one of the creative forces behind Limbo and Inside, Somerville is very much cut from the same cloth as those two masterpieces. An atmospheric adventure game that utilizes environmental storytelling rather than discourse, this 2022 release finds Earth besieged by aliens, an invasion that quickly devastates the planet.

Telling a smaller-scale personal quest, Somerville focuses on a father who is simply trying to keep his family alive during this testing time. The gameplay largely consists of basic platforming and puzzles, and while these elements are handled well, they are in service of the game’s tone, presentation, and emotion.

A Short Hike

Release Date

November 16, 2021

Developer

Adam Robinson-Yu

Genre

Adventure

Xbox Store Link

A Short Hike

Considering its title, A Short Hike’s brisk length should not come as much of a surprise. An introspective stroll through a beautiful location, players follow Claire, a bird who spends the day at a park. While she is desperate to make it to the top of the trail in order to obtain a signal for her phone, Claire (and the player) is also encouraged to just absorb the world around her. She can go off the beaten path to find NPCs and mini-games, or just to enjoy being one with nature.

A Short Hike has no action outside some light platforming fueled by some unlockable abilities. The game is designed to be relaxing and tranquil, both characteristics it possesses in spades. The story is also quite poignant. While a playthrough’s length will vary depending on someone’s pace, a run can readily be completed within roughly two hours, and A Short Hike is well worth that investment.

Unpacking

Release Date

November 2, 2021

Developer

Witch Beam

Genre

Puzzle

Xbox Store Link

Unpacking

On paper, Unpacking hardly sounds appetizing since it revolves around one of the most potentially frustrating parts of life: moving. Covering roughly two decades, the indie game is split into eight stages representing different periods in the protagonist’s life. In each level, players have to unpack the character’s belongings, carefully placing her items in the available space.

Unpacking impressively combines its gameplay and storytelling, using the former to fuel the latter. Players repeatedly run through the protagonist’s items, the only ones she deemed worthy of keeping around when she moved to her new place. Clocking in at roughly 3 hours, Unpacking is a quick and reasonably relaxed experience, albeit one that manages to tell an impactful story in an unusual way.

Metal: Hellsinger

Release Date

September 15, 2022

Developer

The Outsiders

Genre

First-Person Shooter

Xbox Store Link

Metal: Hellsinger

Doom will never free the first-person shooter genre from its shadow, and that is a good thing. The more games that follow in the footsteps of id Software’s franchise, the better. Metal: Hellsinger’s gunplay is undoubtedly inspired by Doom, but the game also brings a fresh spin to the formula.

As hinted at by its title, Metal: Hellsinger urges players to blast to the soundtrack’s beat, encouraging them to shed demonic blood along with the glorious sound of shredding guitars. This concept is strong enough that the campaign’s short length is a bit disappointing; conversely, the game does not overstay its welcome.

Firewatch

Release Date

September 21, 2016

Developer

Campo Santo

Genre

Adventure

Xbox Store Link

Firewatch

For a while, “walking sims” were treated with derision, but they are primarily story-driven games that usually focus on exploration. Sure, the subgenre has produced a couple of low-effort projects, but that can be said for any other category. Firewatch represents walking sims at their peak, and the 2016 release has aged well. Set in a National Forest, players are a lookout stationed in a watchtower, and they find themselves alone within the dense foliage, only periodically running into other people. Their only real human connection is their walkie-talkie-bound supervisor, who generally gives players some guidance on how to move forward.

Firewatch’s visual style and eerie quietness give way to a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere that builds throughout the short campaign. Narratively, the game touches upon some mature themes without feeling the need to spoonfeed the audience, all the while still delivering a cohesive story. Firewatch does not have much replay value, so one playthrough should be enough for most people.

Sea Of Solitude

Release Date

July 5, 2019

Developer

Jo-Mei Games

Genre

Adventure

Xbox Store Link

Sea of Solitude

Dealing with loneliness and depression, Sea of Solitude is heavy. Adrift at sea, Kay floats on a small boat surrounded by the remains of a city, which largely exists beneath the waves. Throughout her journey, the protagonist periodically interacts with a few entities, most of which are echoes of people from her real life. They challenge Kay’s mental fortitude, forcing her to face past trauma, tragedies, and failings.

Sea of Solitude tells a deeply personal tale that could hit home for many players. The gameplay, while not awful, is secondary to the story and themes; consequently, if the latter do not strike a chord with someone, the game can fall slightly flat. That said, there are more than enough strong elements here to make that risk worth taking.

Battletoads

Release Date

August 20, 2020

Developer

Dlala Studios, Rare

Genre

Beat ‘Em Up

Xbox Store Link

Battletoads

Battletoads is an acid trip that someone is likely to either love or detest. The game is also difficult to promote since it constantly swaps genres while still managing to succumb to repetition. Technically, Battletoads is a side-scrolling beat ’em up, and a fairly competent one at that; however, at most, half of the 4-hour campaign is taken up by this sort of action. The game will regularly throw out a new gameplay mechanic that can come across as a tribute to old-school NES projects, and these segments vary significantly in terms of quality.

Battletoads is oddly entertaining, provided a player is looking for a project that does not take itself seriously in any way. Despite lacking depth and boasting a rather obnoxious sense of humor, the game just about gets the job done as a way to kill a few hours in between better titles.

Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance Of The Slayer

Release Date

June 1, 2023

Developer

Big Z Studios Inc.

Genre

First-Person Shooter

Xbox Store Link

Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer

Slayers X is an FPS spin-off loosely based on 2019’s Hypnospace Outlaw, which is also on Game Pass. Inspired by the ’90s in more ways than just game design, this loud, violent mess follows teenage Zane as he goes on a mission to defeat the evil Psyko Syndikate; however, in-universe, this adventure is actually just a game created by Zane, resulting in a rather meta package.

Slayers X is a homage to the ’90s as a decade and a mentality, although the latter’s success will likely come down to someone’s nostalgia for their teenage years. Zane created a project that radiates adolescent energy, a tone that can be both charming and grating. While perhaps not for everyone, the game’s actual first-person gunplay is punchy and entertaining.

Dordogne

Release Date

June 13, 2023

Developer

UN JE NE SAIS QUOI, UMANIMATION

Genre

Adventure

Xbox Store Link

Dordogne

Boasting a gorgeous visual art style and a moving slice of life-esque story, Dordogne finds Mimi visiting her recently deceased grandmother’s house. Once there, she begins to trigger flashbacks to when she spent a summer in this town as a child, a journey that proves to be enlightening since Mimi suffers from amnesia that has left her unable to remember anything prior to her 13th birthday.

Dordogne has a big heart and a calming delivery, creating an experience that can be soothing. Mimi’s childhood adventures are fairly small and mundane, largely consisting of easy-to-solve puzzles; however, they do complement the story being told.

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion

Release Date

April 19, 2022

Developer

Snoozy Kazoo

Genre

Action-Adventure

Xbox Store Link

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion

Boasting perhaps the most eye-catching title on Game Pass, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion has a lot more to offer than just quirkiness. The eponymous vegetable has a lot of debt to pay, and he sets out to get the monkey off his back by engaging in some good old-fashioned RPG action. Snoozy Kazoo’s project plays similarly to most top-down additions to the genre, specifically ones that take a page or two from Zelda’s playbook. Gameplay-wise, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion gets the job done without reinventing the wheel.

While the combat might be nothing more than solid, the game knocks its presentation, characters, and world-building out of the park. Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion takes what could have been a rather uninspired campaign and packs it full of memorable NPCs and witty dialogue, crafting a short but sweet experience that does not overstay its welcome.

Coffee Talk

Release Date

January 29, 2020

Developer

Toge Productions

Genre

Visual Novel

Xbox Store Link

Coffee Talk

Visual novels can be a hard sell to the uninitiated. Not only do they generally feature little direct gameplay, but they also tend to be really long. Therefore, if a player is looking to sample this genre without committing a few weeks of their life, they should start with Coffee Talk.

Toge Productions’ game casts players as the owner of the eponymous shop who also works as the barista, a role that naturally consists of brewing coffee and lending an ear to the woes of the customers. The 2020 title is among the best short Game Pass games, and the same can be said about its 2023 sequel.

Inside

Release Date

August 23, 2016

Developer

Playdead

Genre

Puzzle-Platformer

Xbox Store Link

Inside

Playdead’s Inside is probably the best short game on Xbox Game Pass, and some people might argue that the “short” qualifier is superfluous. Playdead’s project brings to life a nightmarish world stripped of color and warmth, one where robots watch over mindless humans.

An unnamed child heads out on an ambiguous journey awash with danger, and a single wrong move will result in failure. Inside crafts an engrossing sense of mystery that demands exploration and discussion. The answers might not be obvious or necessarily uplifting, but they are worth seeking out regardless.

Limbo is also on Xbox Game Pass and can be completed in under 5 hours. While not directly related to Inside, the 2010 game strikes a similar chord through its presentation, tone, and story.