The PlayStation 5 boasts a formidable game library, with titles that showcase the very best of what the medium of video gaming has to offer. The catch is that some of these games can be huge time sinks, and the amount of hours needed to do them justice can run into double and even triple figures. Add to that boss battles that can take ages to crack, the hunt for save points, and the quest for items, and the whole experience can end up devouring precious time.

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Luckily, there is a vast array of games that offer huge fun in bite-sized doses. These titles run across a variety of genres, from platforming to fighting games to stealth and even survival horror, so there should be something for everyone. If, for whatever reason, a player needs to enjoy their time on a PS5 in short bursts, then these are the best selections to choose from.

8

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Kick Some Shell In This Joyful Arcade Homage

Released

June 16, 2022

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shows no signs of slowing down. The pop culture phenomenon is still going strong with recent films, a TV show, and this, a four-player co-op beat ’em up that takes many of its cues from the iconic Konami arcade game, which created huge buzz after it was released into arcades in 1989. Like that game. TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge has an endearingly simply premise: select a fighter and then use them wisely to beat up various members of the villainous Foot Clan.

TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge is a great fit for any gamers who have fewer gaming hours in the day, as its short, punchy levels can be enjoyed a few minutes at a time. While there is a co-op option, the game is also designed with a single-player experience in mind, and players can choose one of seven different characters in total to play as. The game is a love letter, both to the 90s TMNT cartoon and the golden age of arcade games, and it positively sings with joy.

7

Fall Guys

Unleash Merry Chaos In This Multiplayer Smash

Battle Royale

Party Game

Platformer

Systems

Released

August 4, 2020

ESRB

E for Everyone

Best described as a cross between Takeshi’s Castle and a Saturday morning kids’ cartoon, Fall Guys is a delirious sugar rush that mixes chaotic platforming with battle elements and day-glo visuals. Players control jellybean-like creatures who hurtle their way through a series of obstacle courses, mini-games, and team challenges to make it to the final round. Up to 60 players can take part, making for a chaotic but ultimately effervescent slice of gaming.

Fall Guys is a great example of pick-up-and-play gaming, and its punchy courses and mini-games are ideal for a few short minutes of play, with enough variety to ensure the player will keep coming back for more. The game was made even more accessible after it switched to a free-to-play model, and its combination of variety and giddy thrills make it an ideal fit for competitive and casual gamers alike.

6

Sifu

A Big Hit, In More Ways Than One

Released

February 8, 2022

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Strong Language, Violence

An ingenious mix of roguelike and brawler, Sifu pays tribute to classic martial arts movies and is one of the most satisfying beat ’em ups in recent memory. The game’s story involves a young kung fu student with a thirst for revenge after they witness the murder of their father. What comes next is a flurry of punches, kicks, and parries, and in a novel twist on the formula, the player must forfeit maximum health each time they are killed—represented by their character aging—in order to increase their damage.

Sifu has a variety of game modes, from a digestible campaign to a time attack mode where the player must take on several opponents at once, reminiscent of classic Bruce Lee films where a room full of lackeys must be dispatched with optimum kung fu skill. While the game offers quick thrills, its finely tuned combat system also offers plenty of depth, ensuring that this is a game that can be returned to again and again.

5

Street Fighter 6

Capcom’s Finest Is Still A Knockout

Released

June 2, 2023

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence

It’s very difficult to imagine a video gaming world in which there is no Street Fighter. The legendary fighting game series has been a fixture for decades and its latest iteration is one of the best yet, suitable for fighting veterans and newcomers alike. The set-up is the same as it’s always been, this time with an impressive starting roster of 18 fighters and a horde of different modes to try as the player aims to fight their way to everlasting glory.

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What makes Street Fighter 6 such a treat are the tweaks that have been added to make it a compelling experience. The World Tour mode is ideally suited to players who don’t have a lot of gaming time, as it enables them to make their way through a single-player campaign one fight at a time, unlocking progress as they go. This, plus a variety of head-to-head and multiplayer modes, make this one of the best quick-fix fighting games in years.

4

Returnal

Death Is Not The End

Systems

Released

April 30, 2021

ESRB

T for Teen: Blood, Mild Language, Violence

The trusty roguelike genre was given a shot in the arm with this dynamic sci-fi shooter that blends horror elements with unique gameplay to create an unforgettable experience. The game follows Selene, a space explorer stranded on the alien planet Atropos. Surrounded by hostile forces, she is caught in a grim cycle of death and rebirth. Every time she dies, the game’s environments are altered and environments shift, and she must start her journey anew as she tries to find a way out of her living hell.

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Returnal ensures a fresh experience every time, and each of Selene’s runs are self-contained, meaning that her progress is reset upon death. No two runs are the same, thanks to the randomized weapon drops and layouts, so players are able to take in short, sharp chunks of atmospheric action. The game is perfectly suited to play sessions of 15 to 30 minutes, so players will find it to be a perfect experience if they aren’t able to allocate extra hours.

3

SUPERHOT

Making Moves And Shooting Dudes

Released

February 25, 2016

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Drug Reference, Violence

A striking, esoteric shooter and one of the most original video game experiences in years, SUPERHOT is a fiendish mix of puzzle game and first-person shooter that takes a novel concept and runs with it. In the game’s world, enemies and environments move only when the player moves, meaning that some logistics have to be considered when figuring out how to get from one end a room to the other, killing all enemies and making it out without a scratch.

The game starts out simply enough, with relatively straightforward scenarios that can be completed in just a few moves. As the game progresses, the challenge ramps up, and the player can make use of guns, swords, and fists in order to survive increasingly daunting odds. The game’s short-but-sweet approach to levels means that players won’t have to worry about their precious time getting swallowed up. This game is an action classic that will still be a blast ten years from now.

2

Stray

You’ve Cat To Be Kitten Me

Released

July 19, 2022

ESRB

E10+ for Everyone 10+: Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence

Cat lovers were rejoicing when they were gifted with a game that left them “feline” good all over. Stray takes place in a mysterious future cyberpunk world, and its protagonist is a lone kitty, guided only by a friendly robot, who must navigate puzzles and environmental challenges in order to make progress and uncover the secrets of a bizarre robotic civilization. The game is a celebration of cats, as the player is encouraged to knock over objects and scratch the surroundings as part of the gameplay.

Stray has a brisk playtime of only a few hours, which makes it a condensed but hugely memorable gaming experience. The player is encouraged to wander about as idly as they like or get sucked in by getting to grips with the game’s many challenges. There is a chapter-based structure, which makes it a perfect choice for any players who want to break up their gaming into more manageable chunks.

1

Resident Evil 3 Remake

A Classic Is Reinvented To Stunning Effect

Released

April 3, 2020

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language

It was a bold choice to remake the classic Resident Evil games, but it paid off handsomely, and the third game in the series gets a majestic reinvention that keeps the setting intact but essentially reinterprets it from the ground up. When Jill Valentine heads to Raccoon City to get some answers, she is swept up in a nightmare, as she is at Ground Zero of a zombie outbreak and is stalked by a terrifying mutated foe named Nemesis. Along the way, she must survive everything from giant mutant frogs to a deserted hospital crawling with the undead.

Resident Evil 3 is an intense but gratifying game that clocks in at around 5 to 6 hours long, making it an economical experience if players are keeping an eye on the time. Despite its brevity, it boasts some truly horrific set-pieces and all manner of revolting creatures, but thankfully, it also makes liberal use of typewriters so that the player is never too far from a save point. For anyone looking for survival horror in quick doses, this is their best bet.

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