If you're strapped for time but still want to game, this list of best short video games might be what you're looking for. Chances are that you're not too keen on always playing dozens-of-hours-long action RPGs. Similarly, you might simply be looking for a quick change of pace for a short while. For that purpose, we've assembled a list of a few of our favorite short video games. Keep reading to check them out!

Ranging from shooters all the way to RPGs, each and every short game on this list is going to provide you with a complete, yet succinct gameplay experience. Best of all, it won't take years for you to finish them! In some cases, a single afternoon will be all it takes.

On a tangential note, we've got a fair few game lists you can scroll through. Stealth games, indie games, best of 2019, games for kids... you name it, we've got it in stock! Now, let's get on with it.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is a love-letter to the venerable VHS era of the 1980s. Not only does the game deliver an explosive package of awesomeness in true Far Cry fashion, but it also does so with the style and pizzaz that's practically unrivaled in the gaming arena.

Throughout Blood Dragon, you'll be taking down literal radioactive dragons as well as hordes of Power Rangers-style mooks. The whole thing is way more tongue-in-cheek than it has any right to be. Most importantly - it's a wonderfully short and contained experience! A perfect match for this article.

• Completion ETA - 4-6 hours
• Get Blood Dragon HERE

Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition

Continuing on a similar note, we've got the completely ridiculous re-release of Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition. Dedicated specifically to presenting its players with a linear, albeit completely insane playground of violence, Bulletstorm is a constant bombardment of badassery. It's also as cheesy as Gouda, so there's really no point in taking it too seriously.

This game's worth lies in its arcade approach to inventive and interesting violence. Featuring a gravity hook and powerful smash-boots, as well as an arsenal of guns you won't quickly forget, it's up to you to put these tools together and work out a new high-score. Are you up to the task?

• Completion ETA - 7 hours
• Get Bulletstorm HERE

Why is The Outer Worlds on this list of Best Short Video Games?

Now, you might be wondering what The Outer Worlds is doing here, as it is a proper RPG and all. To that, we say, it's definitely on the shorter end of the spectrum, far as everything is concerned. Sitting at a neat and tidy dozen hours or so, this lovely Obsidian RPG turned out to be one of our favorite games of 2019. One of the reasons we liked it so much is because it's not trying to eat all of your free time like many other modern RPGs often do.

Sure, 12 hours might seem long for a "short" game, but compared to one Assassin's Creed Odyssey, it's hardly much of anything. Don't get us wrong - Odyssey is absolutely incredible, but if it's a short and digestible RPG you're after, The Outer Worlds is what you need.

• Completion ETA - 10-12 hours
• Get The Outer Worlds HERE

Journey to the Savage Planet

Another long-ish entry, Journey to the Savage Planet is an entirely unique action-adventure/FPS that's actually way more manageable than it first might seem.

The reasons we enjoyed Savage Planet as much as we did are numerous, but they boil down to it being a crazy rendition of Golden Age Sci-Fi pulp! We quite liked it, especially the part where it didn't take 50 man-hours to wrap it all up. In fact, chances are that you'll be done with this game well before 10 hours are up, which makes it perfect for this lil' list we've got here. Check it out!

• Completion ETA - 7 hours
• Get Journey to the Savage Planet HERE

Blue Estate is also one of the Best Short Video Games

This one you may not have heard of, but Blue Estate is one of the better rail shooters we've played over the years. Undeniably crass and unrefined, this FPS follows the events of a graphic novel going by the same name, and it's way more fun than you might think it would be. It's also rather short. Short short. We're talking 2-3 hours of playtime if you're not completely awful at shooters.

That's fair, though, because if you're reading this, you're looking for short and neat games. Blue Estate is just that, and you can nicely wrap it all up in a single afternoon of gaming. We promise at least a few good laughs, and a few bad ones, to boot.

• Completion ETA - 3 hours
• Get Blue Estate HERE

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

The final entry on this curated list of best short video games is none other than Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. Essentially a high-profile demo for the real deal, Ground Zeroes packs a mini-sandbox of its own, as well as setting up the plot of Phantom Pain itself. It's interesting to note that Ground Zeroes' content was originally supposed to be implemented into Phantom Pain somehow. Sadly, this never came to be, and now the only way to experience this crucial bit of Metal Gear content is via this two-hour "demo".

Make no mistake, though. Ground Zeroes easily holds its own in most regards, and if you're looking for a taste of Phantom Pain, or even if you're only in the mood for a short stealth experience, this is the obvious winner.

• Completion ETA - 2 hours
• Get Ground Zeroes HERE