{"id":316,"date":"2022-03-12T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-12T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/virlan.com\/game\/?p=316"},"modified":"2022-03-12T12:16:43","modified_gmt":"2022-03-12T17:16:43","slug":"the-best-games-to-play-in-under-an-hour-and-when-you-dont-have-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/virlan.com\/game\/trends\/the-best-games-to-play-in-under-an-hour-and-when-you-dont-have-time\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Games to Play in Under an Hour and When You Don’t have time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Not everyone has that kind of time, however, especially as gamers get older and have to deal with more responsibilities in their life. So even if you\u2019re gaming in a pinch from your work laptop, or your internet is reliable enough for streaming services, there\u2019s plenty of ways to squeeze some pixelated joy into your weekend life. So for everyone after a bit of virtual escapism, here are under an hour games<\/strong> for when you only have an hour<\/strong> to spare. <\/p>\n

The Best Games to Play in Under an Hour<\/h2>\n

Age of Empires IV<\/h3>\n

The beauty of RTS games<\/strong> is that you know how much you\u2019re in for. Missions in those games are all designed to be completed within half an hour<\/strong> or less, which is perfect if you just need to knock out a quick historical victory before moving onto your next set of chores.<\/p>\n

Age of Empires 4 follows the formula from the beloved Age of Empires 2<\/strong>, with its singleplayer campaigns all modelled on various historical conflicts: the rise of the Mongols, the Hundred Years War between England and France, the Normans\u2019 conquest of England, and the origins of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. If that\u2019s not enough to take your fancy, there\u2019s also a host of challenges and skirmish matches you can enjoy against the AI.<\/p>\n

If you love your history, the campaigns have an extra bonus. Each mission is interspersed with micro-documentaries shot in 4K HDR, ranging from real-life footage of the battlefields in question, deep dives on historical armor and weaponry, and even factoids exploring the different paints used to create various tapestries.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s fascinating to watch \u2014 and just as much fun to play. There\u2019s an extra bonus, too: if you and your mates are ever hankering for that old school, pizza-and-LAN party vibes with suitable Lenovo Legion laptops, AOE\u2019s 4v4 multiplayer battles are an absolute blast.<\/p>\n

Art of rally<\/h3>\n

Want the experience of driving through gorgeous environments, with a cracking retrowave soundtrack and a stylized throwback to classic racing games and the golden age of rally racing? That\u2019s art of rally in a nutshell.<\/p>\n

Created by the same team behind Absolute Drift, art of rally is a great homage to the top-down racers of old with its emphasis on bright, low-poly pastels. The campaign follows the decades of rally racing from the \u201860s and onward. There\u2019s 72 separate tracks to conquer, ranging from the dusty roads of Kenya, the treacherous downhill hairpins of Japan, the snowcapes of Finland and Iceland, and more.<\/p>\n

It takes about 10 to 20 minutes to finish a single stage, depending on the stage\u2019s complexity and how much you\u2019re compelled to restart.<\/p>\n

Marvel\u2019s Guardians of the Galaxy<\/h3>\n

When you only have an hour<\/strong> at most to work through a game, sometimes you want a sense of progression. Single-player adventures can be great for that, and Marvel\u2019s Guardians of the Galaxy \u2014 which hits Game Pass on March 10 \u2014 has plenty to offer.<\/p>\n

Combining both Marvel Studios\u2019s humorous and cinematic approach to the Guardians with bits of lore and character designs from the comics, Eidos-Montreal\u2019s adventure adopts an almost kaleidoscopic approach. The game bounces between third-person, Final Fantasy XV-inspired combat sequences, ship battles, story beats with branching dialogue choices, and minor RPG elements. Underpinning all of this some truly astonishing art design, with set pieces, jokes and level design to delight any Marvel fan.<\/p>\n

When you haven\u2019t got a ton of time on your plate, you\u2019d like to spend that free time smiling. Marvel\u2019s Guardians of the Galaxy makes sure you will.<\/p>\n

PowerSlave Exhumed<\/h3>\n

When you\u2019re tired, stressed or just frustrated at the state of the world, sometimes there\u2019s no better cure than a dose of nostalgia. PowerSlave Exhumed, a recent remaster from Lobotomy Software and Night Dive Studios, is a great solution.<\/p>\n

The original PowerSlave was released in the \u201890s for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation 1. PowerSlave Exhumed makes all of that accessible on PC and consoles with all the usual benefits you\u2019d expect from modern gaming: 4K graphics, checkpoints, buttery-smooth 60 FPS gameplay, support for widescreen and high refresh-rate monitors, achievements, and more.<\/p>\n

Classic games like PowerSlave are also perfect for short bursts, too. If you\u2019ve only got 15 or 20 minutes, you can focus on working through a single level. Got a full hour? Then play through three or four, with cloud saves as a backup in case you run out of time.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a perfect throwback to one of the most underrated gems from the \u201890s. If you never had the chance to play PowerSlave, now\u2019s the perfect chance \u2014 whether you\u2019ve got 10 minutes, an hour, or even a whole weekend.<\/p>\n