3 Short but Brilliant RPGs You Can Finish in Under 20 Hours

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Good role-playing games, or RPGs, come in all shapes and sizes. Some tell epic fantasy stories about saving the world, while others focus on challenging gameplay and space exploration. Usually, RPGs take a lot of time to complete – often 40 hours or more, and sometimes exceeding 100! With so many new games coming out, it’s hard to find that much free time. Luckily, there are some fantastic RPGs that you can enjoy without a massive time commitment.

Here are three RPGs you can easily finish in a weekend.

3) The Outer Worlds

Obsidian Entertainment is releasing The Outer Worlds 2 on October 29th, giving RPG fans a new sci-fi adventure to look forward to. The developers have significantly expanded almost everything in this sequel, meaning there’s much more to the game than what’s currently known.

Honestly, the original game is a really tight and engaging RPG. I beat the main story in about 13 hours, which was awesome. If you want to do everything, it’ll take around 25 hours, but you can definitely experience all the best parts in a weekend. It’s a perfect length, not too long and not too short!

Think of this action RPG as Fallout but set in space. Interestingly, the people who originally created Fallout – Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky – also directed this game. If you disliked the way conversations worked in Fallout 4, you’ll likely enjoy this one much more. It’s not flawless, but it’s a solid game, and a sequel is already planned if you end up loving it.

2) South Park: The Stick of Truth

As a huge South Park fan, I was so excited to play The Stick of Truth, and it didn’t disappoint! You can actually finish the main story in around 12 hours, which is great. If you’re a completionist like me and want to do everything, add a few more hours to that. But seriously, if you’ve ever wished you could be in an episode of South Park, this game is a dream come true!

This game delivers the signature humor of South Park, and the fighting is actually quite good. If you’re not a fan of the show’s crude comedy, this game probably isn’t for you. But if you enjoy those types of jokes, you’ll find a large, explorable world packed with references and in-jokes.

Similar to The Outer Worlds, there’s a follow-up to The Stick of Truth called The Fractured but Whole. This sequel swaps the fantasy setting for a superhero theme and features more complex combat. While it’s a good game, it doesn’t quite have the same impact as the first one. It’s also significantly longer – about 10 more hours – making it less ideal for this particular list.

1) Super Mario RPG

Most players, even those who aim to complete everything, can finish the 2023 remake of Super Mario RPG in less than 20 hours. The main story typically takes about 12 hours, and while there isn’t a huge amount of extra content, the side quests available are enjoyable and worth doing. Completing everything important should take around 16 hours of playtime.

This updated version includes several improvements, both big and small. For example, Princess Toadstool is now known as Princess Peach, and the battle system has been revamped. You can now switch between characters during fights (except for Mario) and use powerful team attacks for extra damage. Plus, there’s a new, easier difficulty setting if you want a more relaxed experience.

These games don’t have sequels, so once you finish one, that’s it. However, Nintendo recently released an updated version of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. It’s a fantastic role-playing game with Mario, but be prepared to spend at least 30 hours to finish it.

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2025-10-29 18:17