Modern video games are more impressive than ever, but this has also led to games that take way too long to complete. Not everyone has 50 or 100 hours to sink into a epic RPG or an open world game with hundreds of quests.

Thankfully, there are plenty of short games that aren't as big of a time commitment. Let's look at some of the best Steam games you can complete in under 10 hours.

1. Gunpoint

Gunpoint is a puzzle game with an emphasis on stealth. You play as a spy who has to break into buildings to steal data. Your main gadget is the Crosslink, which lets you view and rewire the building's systems.

For example, you can change a light switch to open a door. Using this, you can sneak into the building and get what you need without alerting any guards.

With a slick noir story, open-ended gameplay, and rewards for playing in different ways, Gunpoint is a blast if you enjoy "puzzle box" gameplay like this. It takes about three hours to beat, or almost seven if you go for everything.

2. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

The Far Cry games have tons of content to plough through, so most of them aren't a fit for this list. However, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is a spinoff title that's a much more condensed experience.

Like most Far Cry games, the first-person shooter gameplay revolves around completing story missions, liberating bases, and collecting trinkets. Blood Dragon takes place in a 1980s view of the future, complete with a gamer-friendly synthwave soundtrack and VHS scanlines in the sky. It also has a good dose of humor, with the protagonist being a cheesy wisecracking tough guy.

You can complete Blood Dragon in about five hours, or spend about nine hours for 100 percent completion. It's a much more palatable alternative to the dozens of hours other Far Cry games require.

3. Portal

If you haven't played Portal, you must remedy that. It's one of the most well-crafted games ever made, and you can finish it in a reasonable amount of time.

Portal takes place in Aperture Science Laboratories, where you are a test subject who gets to use the Portal gun. This tool lets you shoot two portals, which you can warp between by walking through them.

You'll use this ability to progress through the lab's various test chambers. While it starts out simple, you'll soon have to deal with movement-based puzzles, hostile turrets, and other obstacles. All the while, the lab's central AI, GLaDOS, taunts you.

Portal takes about three hours to complete the basics, or just under 10 hours if you want to do everything available. Once you finish it, the chances are you'll want to play Portal 2 next, which is a bit longer.

4. SUPERHOT

SUPERHOT is an innovative shooter where time only moves when you do. Everything is represented with simple polygonal graphics: objects you can interact with are black, while enemies appear as red.

This simple style and movement-based gameplay leads SUPERHOT to feel more like a puzzle than a straightforward shooter. You'll need to keep restarting levels to figure out the optimal path to defeat everyone without taking a hit yourself.

You can complete the main story in around three to five hours, with extra modes to dive into if you want more afterwards.

5. The Swapper

If you liked Portal, you'll love The Swapper too. It's an atmospheric 2D puzzle game where you have a tool that lets you swap your consciousness between bodies. You must use this to solve various puzzles and progress.

In addition to a unique mechanic, The Swapper features beautiful graphics thanks to its art, which uses clay models and real-life materials. It also features a thoughtful story that will leave you wondering.

While some of the puzzles might stump you for a while, most people complete The Swapper in five to six hours.

6. Gato Roboto

Gato Roboto is a short and sweet Metroidvania game with retro graphics. You play as a scientist's cat who must navigate an alien planet. While you can sneak into small spaces as the cat, you don't have any method of attack. Thankfully, you can use a mech suit to gain some firepower.

The game is straightforward, taking only around four to five hours to complete. You'll explore a few segmented areas and collect upgrades, as well as hidden collectibles that change the graphical filter.

It falls short of being one of the best Metroidvania games since it's so small; the map can't match the immersion of larger titles. But Gato Roboto is a simple romp that doesn't take a huge commitment, so it's still worth your time.

7. Gorogoa

Gorogoa is a puzzle game, but not like any you've seen before. It presents you with several storybook panels, which you must interact with to progress the story. For instance, you might have to rearrange them to provide a path for the boy you're directing to walk across a chasm.

Since you can zoom in on various elements in each panel, you'll have to consider carefully what your next move is. It never gets frustrating, though, as there are only a handful of elements to interact with at any given time. Gorogoa only takes about two hours to complete, but packs a lot of great puzzle-solving into that time.

8. Shovel Knight

Shovel Knight is a Kickstarter success story that's become one of the best-known indie games of this generation. It brings elements of retro games like Mega Man, DuckTales, and Super Mario Bros. 3 together into one excellent platforming package.

The complete Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove package contains four individual campaigns, each of which takes under 10 hours to complete. You can buy most of them individually, but Treasure Trove represents the best value for money.

Each campaign features a different playable character with a unique playstyle, so the bundle is worth the cost for several short, well-crafted experiences you can enjoy over time.

9. Thomas Was Alone

Thomas Was Alone is a short platformer with a minimalist art style. You control a group of rectangles whose shapes each grant them different abilities, such as floating in water.

It's a simple game, but actually packs more heart than you might think. The narration is excellent, and by the end you'll be more invested in a set of shapes than you ever thought possible. The adventure shouldn't take you more than four hours to wrap up.

10. VVVVVV

VVVVVV is a challenging platformer with one primary mechanic: instead of jumping, you can reverse gravity at any time. You play as Captain Viridian, who must find his friends on his ship after they go missing.

The game is simple, with no power-ups or locked doors. You can go wherever you like, with only the challenges in each room serving as roadblocks. Thankfully, regular checkpoints keep it from getting too frustrating, and the great chiptune soundtrack sets the mood well.

For just $5, you'll have a fun three to five hours completing the challenges VVVVVV throws at you.

Bite-Sized, Enjoyable Experiences

These games prove that you don't have to slog through 100-hour experiences to enjoy a game. Each title features fun gameplay concepts but doesn't overstay its welcome. And because they're lighter on content, they don't cost as much either.

For more like this, you can also find games on Steam that are fun in short bursts.

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