On-demand gaming platform Xbox Game Pass hosts over 100 games that players can access on PC and Xbox with a subscription to the service. Xbox Game Pass hosts dozens of AAA gaming titles, including Jedi: Fallen Order, the Mass Effect series, The Sims, and many more. But Game Pass really shines in its selection of indie games, featuring beloved indie standouts as well as newer or lesser-known independent gaming titles.
In the case of AAA gaming titles, gamers can expect to sink anywhere from 12 to 60+ hours in just completing the main storyline. The length of time required to complete an indie game can vary a lot more, and indie games are much more likely to be significantly shorter experiences. Xbox Game Pass's massive library of indie games means that it also hosts quite a few games that are shorter than 12 hours long, with some games short enough to complete in a day. For anyone looking to start and finish an incredible game in the course of one weekend, Game Pass has a great selection of options.
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion
Adorable veggie-themed action-adventure puzzle game Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion says it all in the title — players take the place of Turnip Boy, a cute and defiant turnip who commits tax evasion and is evicted from his home. Turnip Boy sets out to repay Mayor Onion for his back taxes and solves puzzles, meets quirky veggie characters, fights bosses, and commits more nonviolent crimes along the way. Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion shares a visual style with nineties Legend of Zelda games and has a pervasive sense of humor to accompany the delightful gameplay. Since it only takes about two hours to complete, gamers could easily help Turnip Boy out with his tax problems within one weekend.
Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery
Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery is a package of the first three Frog Detective games by developer Worm Club. These silly, family-friendly mystery games star the titular protagonist, Frog Detective, as players work to solve ridiculous mysteries in cartoonish settings. Frog Detective has some big cases to tackle, including a haunted sloth, an invisible wizard, and more. Players will get to interactive with eclectic characters like Lobster Cop, a team of ghost scientists, and a cowboy koala during this four-hour experience. For amateur sleuths and mystery enthusiasts, Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery is a quick, hilarious, and colorful experience.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Fans of Norse mythology and action-adventure titles like God of War: Ragnarok will love Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. As Celtic warrior Senua embarks on a quest in Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover, players get deeper and deeper glimpses into Senua's deeply broken psyche. This Viking tale is terrifying at times and was developed in collaboration with neuroscientists, making it a deeply haunting and realistic portrayal of real-world symptoms of psychosis and schizophrenia. Senua's journey can be completed in about eight hours, making it a short experience for anyone wanting to play Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice before its sequel releases.
Road 96
Inspired by 90s road trip films, Road 96 follows several teenage hitchhikers as they attempt to flee the tyrannical state of Petria. This action-adventure RPG has a rich, complex story and features branching storylines leading to multiple different endings. As the characters of Road 96 journey through the fictional country, they're faced with political unrest, other vagabonds, and dangerous situations, and every choice players make can affect the ending they eventually get. Road 96 is getting a prequel this year, so now is a great time to set aside a weekend for this eight hour experience — though gamers may want to play again and see the other endings.
While many non-AAA titles are shorter gaming experiences, shorter playtime doesn't indicate a lesser-quality experience. Whether players are tackling shorter gaming experiences in one day, one weekend, or fitting it in where they can in 20-minute increments, short games are equally important to the video gaming landscape. Luckily for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, these quick games are in abundance and available for download right now.