10 Life-Changing Games You Can Finish in One Sitting
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 พ.ค. 2024
- How often have you wanted to introduce somebody to the world of gaming, but they offer up too many excuses. Maybe they have bad hand-eye coordination. Maybe they get motion-sick easily. Maybe they don't like the time investment. In response to that, I decided to put together a list of the shortest, highest-quality games.
Patreon: / maxderrat
SubscribeStar: www.subscribestar.com/max-derrat
PayPal: paypal.me/maxderrat
Twitter: maxderrat
Discord Link: / discord
Twitch: twitch.tv/maxderrat
#gaming
#steamsummersale - เกม
![[TH] 2024 PMSL SEA W2D5 | Summer | วันอาทิตย์ จะขิตหรือจะรอด!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-4JLNwQRK-Y/mqdefault.jpg)
![[Full] 4 ต่อ 4 Celebrity EP.880 | 19 พ.ค. 67 | one31](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/rs-_BVXsOWw/mqdefault.jpg)
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 63 | คู่เอก "ยอดภูผา vs โซเนอร์"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RGVmBsegKEI/mqdefault.jpg)
Had my fiance play Portal for the first time a couple weeks ago. She was familiar with the game due to its lingo appearing in pop culture "the cake is a like, etc" but didn't know the twist that came at the end of the "tests". She thought that Portal was just a simple puzzle game with no underlining story. Man, her reaction was priceless when she finally put all the pieces together...
Same happened to me. My first experience with Portal came with indie games and custom maps, projects like for example Mari0, where Portal was basically just a puzzle game. When I finally played the real thing I was pleasantly suprised that the puzzle part was only maybe the half of the game.
You should journal those unique reactions from people playing a great video game.
@@joshuaroa8503 I remember making my cousin play it and she was surprised when the final test appeared to reach its end without having to much away.
@@joshuaroa8503 I haven't played Portal yet and know nothing about the story, but I've heard people recommend it a bunch. I might record myself playing through the game blind to capture my reactions. Does that sound like a good idea?
@@Thoomas2001 that sounds awesome. Those moments are definitely valuable later on. I'm planning on making my grandma play something like Journey and record it too while she's still around.
Having played the majority of these games, I will say I agree with this list for sure.
The game I was really hoping would show up was To the Moon, and was so pleased when it was mentioned! I've played through the game 4 times now I think, and I become a sobbing mess every time. A beautiful game, that is also incredibly somber.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons should be on this list I highly recommend it
I knew I had to try it when Totalbiscuit (RIP) called it his favorite game of all time.
I played Gris with my young daughter and was just utterly moved. I had to email the production studio and tell them thank you for such an amazingly beautiful game. That’s the only time I’ve ever done that in my 38 years of living.
I randomly played To The Moon on an old laptop at my parents house on a random Saturday morning. It was cheap on steam with good reviews and I went in blind.
I don't know why but there is something so nostalgic and beautiful about the experience that has stayed within me far longer than I'd like to accept a 2D game should - so much soul in that game - you will think of it all the time as you progress through life.
I went in largely blind like you (I saw a screen with a "combat" and thought it was a JRPG, ha ha). By the end of the night I was weeping and told anyone and everyone I could about the game. Not since I first saw Spirited Away after pirating it as a kid at 3am have I been so blindsided by something I ended up loving so much.
I feel bad for people who missed Night in the Woods. Even if it is longer than 4 hours it could fit this list perfectly given its narrative and themes. Along with these gems, its beauty is something that people could and should experience, regardless of their gaming skills. Also, there is a fun mini game in Night in the Woods for those who want a 'real' challenge. I highly recommend Night in the Woods, especially for young folks out there, struggling and trying to find their place in this world.
“And I hope someday Selmers rides her fucking train” 😊
I had similar gaming experience while playing Jenny LeClue - Detectivu. I would recommend to check it out
I love night in the woods! And Jenny Leclue!
Night in the Woods was great. It was a super comfy game and it made me really think about where I was at in my life too because I was in a similar position/age as the main character.
I'm trying to step out of my comfort zone with video games and also explore some sides of myself I may not currently know about. This description you gave sounds interesting to me, but I'd love to hear some more about it. What kind of game should I expect from Night in the Woods? What kind of story should I expect? What kind of themes can I expect to see?
Definitely needs a part two. Great picks.
I would also love to see your take on katana zero. It’s rated at 4 1/2 hours long, but I think it can be completed faster.
GRIS and Before Your Eyes were more impactful for me, but Katana Zero definitely deserves a mention.
Katana Zero is definitely much more demanding in terms of technical execution, it might not be a great choice for a beginner despite it being a rather short game.
I'd definitely recommend it to medium to veteran gamers though, both for story and mechanical reasons, and especially if you plan to take on the challenge of the built-in speedrun mode. I've had a lot of fun optimizing my runs and comparing scores with my 4 other friends that decided to get the game at around the same time.
@@M-fp7vr That's a good point about how demanding it is. How quickly you get to restart, and the time slowing mechanic made it feel less intensive to me. I think this game would be good for someone who wants to try something more challenging than the games like GRIS while not having the time for something like Dark Souls.
Definitely a philosophical game
To the Moon was one of the most wonderful experience of my gaming life. I never tought I could be so engaged in a game apparently so simple but I loved every second and at the mere mention of its name I literally cried as the game story flashed before my eyes.
I don't know if it's really completable in one sitting but Outer Wilds deserves a spot on any "life changing games" list. First game that made me cry.
Last Day of June is one that definitely needs to be on this list. I picked it up on a whim to play with the girlfriend because it looked like a cutesy kinda odd casual looking game suitable for a short ride but man when we got to the end we were both in tears. It was so unexpected how the game turned out. Can't even contemplate going back to play it because I feel it'll have the same deep impact again
what remains of Edith Finch sounds strangely like Rule of Rose, a timeless favorite of mine.
These are great picks! I'd like to add a few:
1. Brother: A Tale of Two Sons: It's three hours long and fantastic. It's a simple game that non-gamers will understand and the gameplay mechanics absolutely aid the narrative. It's an experience you just can't have in film or in a book.
2. Transistor: I love Supergiant Games, and this is their shortest game, but it clocks in around 6 hours (that's a long session for a non-gamer, ha ha). However, Transistor is a masterpiece in short form science fiction storytelling. It has a commonly misunderstood story, but it's about the nature of consensus and sameness, how voices in unison can create great things, but they can also make everything feel homogenized and bland. It's about having a choice instead of merely a vote. Though complex and beautiful, it can be understood on the base level as a revenge tale with a love story built in (to your weapon, actually).
3. Outer f@#$ing Wilds: One of my favorite games of all time and, cleverly, one of the shortest time to beat games on the list as technically the game has to be cleared in 22 minutes. Of course, it can take dummies like me many hours to see the end. This game is another "you can't do this in any other medium" style game. It plays with the concept of skill acquisition by not actually changing your character in the least. Instead the player is upgraded by learning new skills and uses them to crack the puzzle of the infamous 22 minutes of space exploration.
I agree that short form games are very important to the medium. They have to be concise and deliver their message without hours of cutscenes or audio logs. Plus, they're approachable and have to be relatively easy to understand gameplay wise. This is a cool video. Keep it up!
I can wholeheartedly agree that there is nothing like Outer Wilds
Outer wilds is one of the best games ever made
Absolutely agreed about Brother: A Tale of Two Sons. That game demolished me.
I couldn't possibly agree more with all of these choices. A few runner ups not on this list: The Path, Flower, and Everything. 🥰 And of course Portal 2 is also excellent. I know Valve can't count to three, but I will always hope...
Journey is a profound reflection on life in every facet of its design.
I was literally joyful when you mentioned Portal. Such an immersive, atmospheric Puzzle game and the Sequel is one of the best games ever made with increased and improved atmosphere, gameplay, humour, writing, acting and further insight into the miraculously conscious Robots that inhabit Aperture Science.
I remember playing Firewatch. Many say the ending was disappointing though given what you described and how others have said that's the point, it would be a profound outlook on what it would be like to be on a firewatch job.
I cannot accurately explain how happy I am that To The Moon is on this list!
When I was in early highschool I struggled with emotions. I had no trouble feeling them when they arose, but getting them from something in the first place was rare. I'd often be the only one not crying after a tragic movie and had trouble relating to people's emotions for example. This all changed with To The Moon, which was the first piece of media, ANY media, that made me feel things and required me to lie on my bed for 2 hours after to reflect on what I had experienced and what I was feeling. It started a change in me that made me a lot more emotionally healthy and a lot happier today than I was back then. Truely a life altering experience for me!
I played Gris and Journey about two years ago, changed my life. They always make my eyes, ears and soul happy, look forward to playing the rest.
Thanks for this list Max! I didn’t know most of these games yet, will be a nice start to pick up gaming again when I have the time and with these not much is needed:)
Speeking of games that made me cry; MGS 3 & 4, Death Stranding, Gris and Hellblade hit so close to home I still haven’t finished it..
I wish to add "The Beginner's Guide" from one of the writers of "The Stanley Parable".
I played Journey two years ago for the first time. It filled my eyes with tears and my heart with joy. As you say, we want to share those works of art with the people we love. I asked my niece to play it, and she was amazingly happy during the sliding part, with those golden sands, which was my favorite part as well. Gold, the color, is a symbol very important to me. Journey didn't change my life because other games had already changed my life (Super Metroid, Doom, Final Fantasy 7, Silent Hill 2, Dark Souls 1). It's an important game, one I wanted to share with my niece, one I want everyone to experience.
What a great list. So satisfying to see many games that I've played and loved. I think that comparing short and concise games to rich and expansive game worlds is like comparing beautiful but short poetry to majestic novels. Both great art forms, but different in principle.
I would definitely love to see a part 2 of this video. If you make a new list, consider these games, as they are all impactful (at least to me) and I think can be completed under 4 hours by a non-experienced player:
1. The Beginner's Guide - such an overlooked gem! The variety of short levels and the mysterious story bring out a wide range of emotions. I empathised deeply with the characters - one of whom does not even appear in the gameplay and yet still has a presence.
2. Everything - to me this is an embodiment of deep sense of wonder and appreciation for the universe. Combined with the voice of Alan Watts and mindfulness stories, this game is a Zen experience.
3. Doki Doki Literature Club - amazing game that poses itself as a silly school dating sim and is actually nothing like that. Can't describe this horrible nightmare without spoiling the story.
4. Oxenfree - a beautiful game with mesmerizing characters, both sweet and eerie atmosphere, and creepy, yet interesting mechanics. Both the story and the execution are fantastic.
5. Orwell - a great dystopian game with a different perspective than usual games. The player might even feel as if he is not the main character (and might be right) but the moral decisions still greatly impact the lives of NPCs.
6. Do Not Feed The Monkeys - a similar game to Orwell, with a different execution and even more tense atmosphere in a dystopia.
7. Her Story - a different take on detective games where the narrator is unreliable and yet the only source of information. It felt very rewarding to finally figure out the mystery by piecing together the parts of the story that were not in chronological order.
8. Stanley Parable - no need to describe this game. Instant cult classic. 4 hours of casual gameplay is enough to achieve at least one ending and be satisfied.
9. Accounting - a comical take on the short game format, yet this nightmare adventure experience stuck with me for a long time. This game is not a mindblowing art piece, yet definitely a recommend since some new players might enjoy a comedy genre more than any others.
10. Antichamber - this is the only game to scratch the itch that was left since I've played Portal & Portal 2. Although it lacks in narrative, but it is more than a mere puzzle game. The mechanics and solutions are very imaginative and mind-bending.
Thanks for this one. You reviews & commentary on games are often in-line with how I feel about them, such as the MGS series & original Deus Ex. Your videos on Near Automata convinced me to play the game, and its probably one of the best I've ever played.
I often have a hard time committing to a new large & potentially time consuming game, which is mostly a mental hurdle for me. Sometimes I can get so deep into a larger game it starts feeling like a chore. It's nice to have a list of more-bite sized games coming from someone with similar gaming interests.
If you ever consider a part 2, I would nominate Braid as being appropriate for this list. As the player is slowly learning the value of reversing time inside the game world, the narrator ruminates on grief, loss, and regret, cursing his inability to alter the course of past mistakes using the wisdom he has attained as a result of them. Pretty underrated gem, imo. Great video as always!
Journey made me tear up more than once, but To the Moon made me cry out loud :'D
Damn if it were not for the 4 hours limit then I bet The Cat Lady would had been in the list. The controls are incredibly simple (specially for a point and click, there's no weird as hell logic here), but the story is brutal and beautiful.
Ah, my wife loves The Cat Lady. I watched her play it. It really is good.
What an amazing idea! A game/story doesn't have to be huge to change a person. I mean, if a single sentence can do so...
Thank you for sharing your list, Max. :)
Thank you for this video. I don't get the chance to game as much as I use to but I will be checking out most if not all the games on this list. Maybe you could turn this into an on going series? It dose not have to be every month, maybe just three or four videos a year. Would make for a great playlist. Keep up the good work. I love your channel and what you are trying to do with it.
Just finished Heavy Rain for the first time in one sitting. It had problems, but overall i had a great time.
Brilliant list! I was so happy seeing Inside, Portal and Firewatch on the list, those left so much impressions and emotions
A big satisfied smile crept across my face when I hit 13:48. Such a wonderful game and I'm glad you're giving it attention. This is such a good idea for a video
I like the game- "hello charlotte" it's very short and has a great story
Thanks Max, definitely a couple to add to my list.
Great video! I hadn't heard of a couple games on the list. I'm going to try them out immediately, thanks
A short game that I found profound that gets overlooked is Her Story. It’s a simple game that doesn’t require much thought but the story is what you make it. It’s storytelling that you can’t do in traditional passive medium. Everyone I know who has played it loved it. Even my fiancé who hates story driven games said it was engaging and then spent the next 2 hours talking through our experiences and theories with me.
Your list and the criteria to compile it perfectly describes the games that speak to me and I like to play.
Up until now I did not know why, after many years of stumbling in the dark on finding games, a list of almost all games I ever finished or liked shows up in a single video.
Thanks for explaining to me why and what I like. Obviously now I have to play every single game on that list.:-)
Excellent list and great job as always. I've played most of these games and totally agree with you. What Remains of Edith Finch really got to me when I played it. One game I would add is The Pathless; it's a simple little story from the makers of Abzu. I think it also had to do with my son being born the week it came out but I remember it really resonating with me.
I've actually written a book about how to help non-gamers become gamers. Coming out of working with Etra Games on a series about making "Hooked on Phonics" style games for parents; we even used Journey as our test game. It is called "LudoLectic: The Gospel of Game Literacy," This is a good approach, specifically looking for short games that can deliver a whole experience quickly
Interesting... And your method works? Brought people into gaming?
Great video, I played some of them, definitly gonna try the others. Are you planing a second video with games up to 10h? Would love to see ;)
I know that this game doesn't make the list due to length. However, you had To The Moon on here, which reminded me of it.
Rakuen.
Created primarily by fantastic composer and musician Laura Shigihara, it's another existential game with some really hard-hitting emotions, especially since the entire OST is composed by Shigihara herself.
A handcrafted interactive tale with a bespoke soundtrack made to perfectly accentuate every piece of the game. I highly, HIGHLY, recommend it; it had me in tears, and I think it'll have you in tears, too, Max.
Now we need a sequel video "10 Life-Changing Games You Can't Never Finish."
...and for me that's basically 99% of all the new interesting games. Even finishing the The Witcher lll seems to be never ending story. But that's just because I'm old and starting to have too many responsibilities. It was cool to be teenager/kid and just binge play some video games during summer break like 200h straight e.g. The Elder Scrolls Oblivion or Skyrim.
Games in video:
10 - Before Your Eyes - 2:48
9 - Journey - 4:31
8 - That Dragon, Cancer - 6:14
7 - What Remains of Edith Finch - 8:10
6 - Portal - 9:49
5 - Inside - 11:00
4 - Gris - 12:35
3 - To the Moon - 13:48
2 - Firewatch - 15:20
1 - The Vanishing of Ethan Carter - 17:00
thanks bro
Very nice list. For me, Journey takes the cake. That one is unforgettable and feels even more powerful that it has multiplayer and there isn’t even any dialogue. Everything is just felt through the environments and pushing on. Beautiful
The way you had talked about Journey and Inside reminded me of my favorite indie game ever: Hyper Light Drifter. I can't remember if you talked about it before, but I'd love to see your take on it's story.
Keep it up, Max
Even though it's a bit longer than 4 hours, my #1 forever: Kentucky Route Zero. I convinced my ex who had never played a video game in her life to play it through, and she was moved to tears by the ending. Incredibly deep, creative, and moving.
Wow, there were actually a couple that I hadn't heard of before!
I feel several of these might be a little too tough for me since these kinds of games tend to hit me really hard :')
Especially "That Dragon, Cancer"... I don't think I could ever play it, since it might hit too close to home, knowing too many people who are currently struggling with cancer or have died from it :(
My personal addition to your list would be "Dear Esther", but I think too few people would get anything out of it.
Strangely enough, it's one of my most played games on Steam xDD I feel it's a great representation of grief and depression, and the narrator is excellent.
Pretty much for me Portal 2 was so influential to the point that it laid the groundwork for the universe that I hope to build into the next major revolutionary game franchise! I also still strongly remember seeing Journey reviewed on the TV show Good Game SP on ABC-3 in Australia as a kid back in 2012 when it was first launched and it was also the first time I had ever seen the game! :)
I couldn't remove any of yours on the list, they're all great. But one game that feels like a good place to me, or games plural, is the Dayshift At Freddy's series. With it being a mostly text-adventure series, it's really easy to pick up. The obvious references and jokes to Fnaf are amazing, but what I feel is so great about it is that it completely stands as it's own game series, even having it's own loosely fnaf-inspired lore by the end of it.
On top of that you can pick up and play as much as you want, since each game has multiple endings. With the first two having a lot, you can get as much fun out of it as you want, exploring different endings and options or just being content with getting a couple or even one ending. Since in the second game you can pick up from whatever ending you want, and in the third game they just say every ending is canon in one way or another lol. Truthfully I don't think the finale of the game is as impactful if you haven't explored the more major branching endings, but that's the great thing, you don't need to, it just adds a lot more depth to the characters, and more context and clarity on other subjects.
The level of detail and effort that went into crafting the world, the lore, the characters and everything is astounding. Especially for what was originally just a funny mature fan game with a bunch of crude jokes. And yet, the finale still made me cry, multiple times. It's a severely underrated ride full of laughs, cringes, and feels. I highly recommend it to anyone that hasn't played it. whether you like fnaf, hate it, or don't care for it at all, it's a unique experience I haven't found anywhere else.
Thank you for coming to my ted talk, lol
Thank you for the recommendations, I've been looking for more genuinely good games to explore, one game I was already interested in because of you was Chrono Trigger
top ten games to give you goosebumps. I really hope there will be a Part 2 to this video
oh and thank you for the shout out. i'm happy you liked the game
The whole To The Moon series is top tier
Great list!
Major goosebumps at the end when Ending Theme of SOMA started! It belongs to this list ! Game that broke me emotionally.
Thanks for the video, I played Limbo, Gris, Inside, Journey and Portal from this list and I take the rest of them as recommendations. Too bad Hellblade didn't make it though, it is one of the best gaming experiences I ever had. One that did move me to tears, for personal reasons, is Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons featured in the intro.
Journey is among my favorite creative works, maybe tied with my favorite book, "The Alchemist" (I must have something for the desert despite being a midwesterner). Glad to see it made the list. I still remember watching Pewdiepie's let's play at age 13, in awe, realizing games could tell a story as more (or something else) than an FPS or strategy game.
For those who might overlook "Limbo" because of the brief mention in this video: consider that Rhett (Good Mythical Morning host) said when he finished the game it made him cry.
Wonderful video as always! Have you ever played game called Gorogoa? It's a very small puzzle game created by one person. I got a lot from it when I played
To me Subnautica was also powerful and emotional because you're so isolated and alone. At the end I was crying and felt emotionally drained.
Honestly, kind of surprised Bastion wasn't on here. It has a great soundtrack, amazing characters with a focus on guilt and trauma. It is pretty combat focused.
Six hours is probably too long for most, though.
Great list! I still want to see your take on "The Beginner's Guide" though. :P
Thanks for posting this video about games to play during the steam summer sale! Otherwise it would be rough to pay for all these games, your a hero for thinking about us that way
I actually recognize most of these games myself (fancy how that works) and I love that you included To the Moon here! . The funny thing is...while I definitely agree with the inclusion of To the Moon as an emotional experience, I actually felt that sort of experience even more so with its sequel: Finding Paradise.
If I were to be clear on why that is...it's probably because the topics on the second game resonated more with some of more...personal worries I grappled with in my past. It sort of...gave me that final push I needed to make peace with some things. I know I'm being vague here but...I just don't think I should risk spoiling the experience for any potential new gamers. Just go play it if you can!
For me, Edith Finch is the unsurpassed example of what storytelling in games can achieve.
Every mini-story is perfectly calibrated for tone and the overall pacing of the story (the way time passes as you advance) is perfect for firing the game up in the late afternoon and finishing it after dark, just for the vibes.
I couldn't agree with you more. Of course, I love all games in this list but Edith Finch is something different for me. I think the main reason is visually various storytelling and almost every one of them was touched my heart. It is not just a walking simulator and it is my favourite with Stanley Parable and Journey in this genre.
The problem with Edith Finch was that it was written for girls.
At the end, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was in the house that sank in the bay, only for the game to end. I remember from grammar school, this is all the stories that the girls picked so they could finish the story in their own imagination. I absolutely h4t3d that. If I wanted to hear my own thoughts, I would sit down and write my own story.
Those types of "mystery" stories may appeal to girls, but not to me. I want to hear the whole story that someone else created. Building up to a crescendo that never happens is extremely irritating.
This is why I can't stand Stephen King. SK is a master of dialog and suspense and creating a setting. But at the end of his stories when he is about to do a major reveal and bring the whole story all together, the story totally falls flat and sounds like a story created by a 14 year old.
@@karozans "If I wanted to hear my own thoughts..." that's the problem with media. The creator is making half of the work, the consumer the other half. Whether you like it or not, you are always hearing your own thoughts and always will be.
It might be a good idea to learn to relate works of fiction to your own life experiences in order to get more enrichment out of them. After watching/playing something, maybe sit with your thoughts and contemplate what it means to you. I know that in today's world, people are constantly finishing one thing and immediately starting the next, but art, despite its modern guise of consumer product, can and should occupy a more privileged position in our lives- especially since we consume so much of it.
This whole post might be a stretch based on what you're putting out with yours, but anyway.
@@jonsinobi We are talking about a fictional narrative story and words or pictures on a screen. We are not talking about political happenings where information is purposefully added/removed to influence the way someone things about something. There is nothing to be gained and no wisdom to be had from expecting something great in the house in the bay, by examining my own life.
No thanks. As I said before, if I wanted to hear my own thoughts and read a story about my life, I would sit down and write it myself, and frankly, my thoughts and my life aren't that interesting or exciting. I read fiction, play video games, and watch movies so that I can escape my mundane life and experience another f4nt4sy.
I have noticed this phenomenon since I was 5 years old. Girls seem to like this type of narrative that totally ends without a completed story, and boys don't seem to care for it. There is always a major letdown when the story ends prematurely. It must be a very prlmltlve way that our brains are wired.
@@karozans I tried to be nice. I can only encourage you to grow out of the opinions you formed in pre-school.
That dragon: cancer legit destroyed me. Cried for hours.
Firewatch changed my life, made me want to move to the countryside and start to do hiking and camping.
Just in time for the Steam Summer Sales. Thanks Max!!
Hey Max, thanks. The timing of this video is perfect.
I was on the verge of buying "Bully" via steam but it seems my money will be elsewhere and I am sure it's gonna be one or two from this list.
I think Iron Lung would be a good honorable mention. It's only like an hour and it's easily one of the most terrifying games ever.
Wonderful List!
Wonderful list, needs a part two, for games that are a bit longer for those who grow deeper interest. I’d add Disco Elysium, and Brothers.
Two games I haven't seen mentioned in other comments that would go great in a part 2:
Superliminal: a Portal-esque puzzle game about perspectives and is perhaps the most ludonarratively consonant of any game I've ever played, except for...
The Beginner's Guide: a game about the process of making art and validation of others
You should really do more videos like this! Just a quick list of profound games
I have actually played every single one of these games, except I didn't finish Inside, Gris, to The Moon, or The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. That Dragon, Cancer left a sour impression on me because I got to a part where the game was bugged and I could not progress no matter what because my save file had me stuck and I couldn't back up far enough before the glitch occured.
I would like to say though that Gone Home and The Suicide of Rachel Foster definitely deserve to be in here. Gone Home was great because not only was there a very interesting story between the sister and her love interest, but there's a far more interesting story that exists simply within the confines of items you find around the house. You have to piece together what's going on by finding things that'll tell a much darker backstory than the main one could provide. And it's crazy how this backstory can be completely overlooked if you aren't a curious person who likes to look around long enough.
I would say The Suicide of Rachel Foster is another game that deserves a spot because it's a story that really did a great job of keeping me in the dark of what's going on until the very end. The subject matter is definitely darker than most games, but it's a topic that managed to find itself into a video game and it worked pretty well.
I will finish everyone of them, thank you Max, great video as always.
You make a good point in the beginning, so I'll tell you what I did. My mom really wanted to experience Red Dead Redemption II, but she doesn't have the skill or time to do so. So what I did was start a new game on PS4, recorded everything, and compiled all the cutscenes and a lot of gameplay while cutting out a lot of exploration and combat that would only really interest the player. I used share factory, and the final result was about 10 hours long, with my gameplay being close to 80 for that save. She really loved it, so I did the same for my other favorite story based game, The Last of Us.
Good list. I would add 'The Space Between' and 'Dear Esther', both 'bout an hour long but such powerful experiences.
The Stanley Parable definitely deserves to be on the list.
I love gris so much it absolutly needs to be talked about more
Some of my short favorites from 2017-2022:
Necrobarista
Kentucky Route Zero
QT
A Short Hike
Later Alligator
Donut County
minit
CHUCHEL
The Norwood Suite
The Lion's Song
NORCO was pretty darn good, but clocks in at 5-7 hours, which is often the sweet spot for many of my favorite games, that are 5-10 hours, I've noticed.
just bought 3 games from the list. excited to try!
Phenomenal list. Now we want part 2 with games under 10 hours of gameplay. Please... 🙏
I remember playing gris, got it during a sale, it was a great experience
this is a great idea for a video, im always looking for stuff like this.
Great choices! I also highly recommend Gorogoa, Her Story, Flower, Doki Doki Literature Club, Milky Way Prince: The Vampire Star, Florence, and The Night Fisherman.
Journey is the only game I've played where I can look back on my playthrough and genuinely tear up about how beautiful it is
Okay, I swear, Max, if you are trying to convert me to video games...
You are close to succeeding. I actually want to play the first game you mentioned, Before your Eyes! Sounds like a cool game! 👀🙂😄
i played journey tripping, it took longer than 2 hours but it changed my life for the better, it helped me feel more settled with the cycle of life
I must say that I played most of the games and somehow I spend much more time on them.
Great video.
I love this channel so much.
Such an amazing list of games, great video!
Love you man. Stay yellow 💛
Max, I appreciate every single video you upload, they always somehow relax my mindset when I feel as though a panic attack is incoming
Not sure if it's a 4 hour game, but it's not a long game and absolutely life changing: Valiant Hearts.
That Dragon, Cancer is one of the few games I can't complete... I respect it for what it does, but I am not emotionally strong enough to see it all the way through. Probably because I refuse to imagine even for a second what it would be like if one of my children had a life-threatening illness. Those parents deserve every bit of praise in the world, and I only hope that making the game brought them even the smallest sense of closure.
A bit surprised you didn't mention Soma, but then again, that game pretty much has its own full length video 😅
'Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons' deserves a spot on this list. If you haven't played it, you should check it out.
Before your eyes, dragon cancer and Edith Finch? Every single game of those will RIP YOUR HEART OUT! i played those games many years ago and i still think of the when i hug my kids
Hey Max, have you heard of the Shin Megami Tensei series? I know you've been searching for more prodound moments in gaming, and maybe these games can scratch that itch. The entire series is one big philopshical question after another.
I would recomend you play Shin megami tensei Nocturne, Strange Journey, Shin megami tensei 4, and the digital devil saga douology.
(Btw the Persona series is also really good if you havent checked them out yet.)
I have played almost all of Persona 5 and a little bit of Persona 4. Really want to play all of them. And then of course, people recommend that I play Nocturne.
@@maxderrat I really hope you do, specially Nocturne and IV, also there is a "what if.." of IV called Apocalypse, the mythos are simply amazing in every game, but the most humane one in my opinion is IV's neutral ending. And if you have a Switch, definetly give V a try, probably would recommend this one since it was really focused for people who played Persona but not "Mainline SMT"
Bioforge had a really great story behind the clunky controls.
Amazing idea, love the video
Inside did it for me. Really. Left a scar, it will forever be there. Enjoyed Ethan carter and Edith Finch thought they were very well made and entertaining.
Played some of those games, and the one I cannot touch, even though I consider myself as a Stoic man, is "That Dragon, Cancer".
As a father, my son is the joy of my life, the treasure that Nature gave me, and just the thought of living without him, saddens me in ways that I had previously never thought possible. I cannot dp anything, but to feel deeply the pain and the despair of that family, specially the father, of seeing your whole reason to live fading away slowly in front of you, powerless to do anything, that is not simply enduring his pain, along with the pain of his child and his wife, to not let everyone fall down and keep things running, because the world does not stop, despite the damned tragedy that this may be.
I am crying while writting this, because this situation overwhelms me.
But I will make sure I take some extra time to spend and hold my kid today, because of that.
Life is too damn short to be spent with things that are not worthwhile.
OMG PLEASE DO AN ANALYSIS WITH THE "TO THE MOON" FRANCHISE. I would love to see your full thoughts.
Make more these types of videos, I love it
While I wouldn't remove any of these from the list I would perhaps add an honorable mention to the psychological games Presentable Liberty and Exoptable Money. Both are incredibly cerebral games that take a small amount of time to complete and no more significant interaction that a mouse generally, great for people that don't WANT to play a game necessarily so much as experience a story. And experience you will. Both have a way of pulling you in and investing you in relationships with people you only ever receive messages from and never communicate back to, and that eventually tears at your heart and the profoundness of your helplessness really gets to you.
I loved this video, so different than the normal ones, but in the same time introspective in some ways...