For some, life is way too busy during the week. The weekend, then, is the only time they can really sit down and let themselves get lost in a game. That does present a problem in that, if you choose a long game, you’ll likely be playing the same one over the course of several months. Never fear, though: below, you’ll find a carefully curated list of short Xbox Game Pass games that you can knock out in under 10 hours. That means you could have these wrapped in a single weekend.
And the best part? Since they’re already in Xbox Game Pass, you won’t have to spend any additional money on them — that is, if you’re a subscriber already. If not, you might want to get on that.
Donut County – 2 hours
Donut County is one of the most chill and satisfying games I can think of in recent memory, and the reason is its simple premise. You, the player, are basically trying to create as big a hole in the ground as possible. The hole grows when you get things to fall down into it. You start by moving the hole under something small, like a ball. You move up to cars. Pretty soon, you’re swallowing entire homes. And that’s it. That’s the game.
You can beat this one quickly, get yourself some achievements for the effort, and even have some fun. It may sound simple and potentially even dumb to some people, but I’m telling you — Donut County is a good time.
Sea of Solitude – 3 hours
I’m a sucker for story-driven puzzle games, and in Sea of Solitude, that’s what you’re getting. As Kaye, you’re a bit of a down soul trying to face the demons in your own mind as well as work through some of the traumatic experiences you’ve had in the past. It takes a little bit for you to catch on to what’s happening with the narrative, but once you hit that point, you’ll appreciate what the game is trying to do.
Thanks to FPS boost (you can see the whole FPS Boost list here), Sea of Solitude now runs at a smooth 60 frames-per-second on Microsoft’s newest Xbox consoles. So there’s no better time to play it than the present. Or you can check it out on PC via EA Play. That’s an option, too.
Titanfall 2 – 6 hours
There’s a bit of renewed interest in the world of Titanfall at the moment. Some hope more elements of the franchise — namely the giant Titan mechs — will make their way into Apex Legends. Others are holding out hope that a third entry will get the green light. While we wait for some movement on that front, there’s always Titanfall 2, which continues to boast one of the best first-person shooter campaigns ever made.
If you have Xbox Game Pass on PC, or if you have Game Pass Ultimate on Console, Titanfall 2 is available via EA Play. You can easily complete the game’s stellar campaign over the course of a weekend, with time left to spare for its underrated multiplayer modes.
Call of the Sea – 6 hours
Imagine your partner goes on a voyage to a strange island and never comes home. When you go on a rescue mission, what might you find on that island? What truths will you uncover? Call of the Sea is chock full of mystery, and you don’t have to wait very long to start asking lots of questions. Fortunately, due to the game’s length, you don’t have to wait very long for answers, either.
Give Call of the Sea a shot if you’re down with the adventure/puzzle genre and you want to see a gorgeous tropical island rendered on the Xbox Series consoles. Also check it out if you want to hear the somehow downplayed voice cast, which features Cissy Jones and Yuri Lowenthal.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice – 7.5 hours
You can throw Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice into two very distinct categories: “Must play with headphones” and “Must take some breaks.” The aural experience is one of the most impactful you’ll have in a game, but because of Hellblade‘s heavy subject matter, it’s probably best you chunk this off into a few play sessions.
Fortunately, the game is short enough for you to still do that while seeing the credits roll in under 10 hours. It’s not the happiest way to spend your time off, but that doesn’t mean this one isn’t a must play — it very much is.
Tell Me Why – 9 hours
If you like video game stories and short Xbox Game Pass games, you’ll love Tell Me Why. This episodic adventure game lends itself well to the weekend play format, as you can knock two chapters out on Saturday and save the last for Sunday. What you’ll get for your time is a sometimes spooky tale about two siblings who use their shared paranormal gift to try and solve a very personal mystery.
This one is classic Dontnod, so if you dug what that studio did with Life is Strange, you’ll definitely want to add Tell Me Why to your queue.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard – 9.5 hours
One game before Lady Dimitrescu came along to captivate/terrify us all, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard served as the franchise’s latest outing. It was the first game to pull the mainline Resident Evil series into first person. It likely made some players swear off cabins for the remainder of their days.
Give this one a go if you’re into horror, and you want to see the title that laid the groundwork for Resident Evil: Village in action. It slides in at just under 10 hours, but should still be doable for a weekend of gaming.
We’ll be adding more short Xbox Game Pass games in the future
This is very much a living list, and we’ll be tacking more titles onto it in the near future. Be sure to check back later for more short Xbox Game Pass games.
