2022 has been jam-packed with incredible releases. Right from the start gamers had Elden Ring in February and then later in the year they had God of War Ragnarok. In between, RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and platformers like Kirby and the Forgotten Land made sure gamers were always occupied. Most of these games have one thing in common; they are all extremely long.
Gamers who don't have space in their schedules to play these games in a timely manner might feel left out by all these big releases. Don't worry, the list below showcases games released this year that most can burn through in a single sitting. Even if there is more to do after the credits roll, it is possible to get a complete experience from all of these in a single night.
8 Stray (5 Hours)
While not a PS5 exclusive, Stray came for free for PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers. Players control a cat as they make their way through a mysterious world seemingly taken over by robots.
Combat is not a part of the gameplay, so Stray is appropriate for the whole family. Part of what makes this game so appealing is just how cat-like the protagonist feels. Anybody who has a feline in their household can relate to what the main character in Stray does.
7 Somerville (3 1/2 Hours)
Somerville is the first game from Jumpship, a studio founded by Dino Patti of Playdead, who developed Inside and Limbo. Anybody who liked those two games will find a lot to appreciate in Somerville. The short adventure follows a family as they live through an Alien Invasion.
This invasion is definitely more War of the Worlds than Mars Attacks and deals with the toll survival takes on the characters. Though there are some puzzles players can get stuck on, the game can be beaten in the time it takes to watch a long movie.
6 Trombone Champ (2 1/2 Hours)
While Guitar Hero and Rock Band let players live out their rockstar fantasies, Trombone Champ is an opportunity to be the brass section superstar, something few people actually want.
The game fully realizes how zany of a concept this is and has fun with it. While using the mouse to successfully play the notes is joyous, it is just fun to fail and hear all the sour notes. As silly of a game as this is, some of the songs are quite difficult to play. The trombone is difficult to master, after all.
5 Rollerdrome (4 Hours)
Fans of extreme sports games will never forgive Activision for canceling the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 remaster. There are some alternatives to filling in the void left by a lack of new Tony Hawk games, however. Rollerdrome mixes some elements from the Skateboarding series with shooting mechanics.
It seems like a lot to handle, but the game manages to play smoothly and it is relatively easy to get a handle on. While it is relatively easy to get through in one sitting, the yearning to do better in each stage and complete challenges lend to replayability.
4 River City Girls Zero (3 Hours)
Players can usually depend on beat 'em ups for some short bursts of fun. River City Girls Zero is a re-release of an SNES game that was initially only released in Japan. Despite its age, the title has a surprisingly in-depth story and mechanics for the time. This is pretty par for the course for any game with the River City name in it.
The core gameplay will be familiar to anybody who played Double Dragon or Streets of Rage, but players earn more moves as the game progresses and the characters change clothes. This is a good game to pick up for anyone who enjoyed 2019's River City Girls to see the series' origins.
3 Aperture Desk Job (32 Minutes)
Maybe it is not exactly fair to call this a game, but it is an interactive piece of media with which players can engage. Aperture Desk Job comes with the Steam Deck and is designed to get players acquainted with the features of Valve's device. Given the utility of it, it is necessary to have players learn about its ins and outs.
The Steam Deck is a little bit more complicated to use than the Nintendo Switch. Despite its short length, it is cool to see Valve use the Portal IP to introduce players to the system. Don't go into the app looking for revelations about GLaDOS or Cell, however.
2 Shadow Warrior 3 (5 Hours)
The world needs more linear first-person shooters. While Call of Duty campaigns always impress, they sometimes feel more like rollercoasters than grounded shooting galleries. While waiting for a new Doom or Wolfenstein, players can sate themselves with an appetizer like Shadow Warrior 3.
Anyone worried about the series' arguably problematic past can take solace in knowing they recast the main character with an Asian-American actor and change the humor in general. The gameplay is still the zany FPS goodness for which the series is known, however.
1 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (2 1/2 Hours)
Older gamers fondly recall the best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles beat 'em ups. It is a good thing, then, that younger gamers can experience all those classics thanks to the Cowabunga Collection while also enjoying a totally new game in Shredder's Revenge.
The title takes the best things about the older games and updates them for modern gamers. The co-op allows for up to six players to join in on the action, meaning fewer people are left out at family gatherings. The game does not overstay its welcome either, coming in at just under three hours long.