You know the pain of finishing a game just as it started getting good? That feeling is all too common today, with a lot of games barely scratching 15 hours of playtime.
If you are the type of player that likes to immerse yourself into a game’s world andtake your timethrough it, this list puts together the 10 best slow burn games out there today.
Being on this list does not necessarily mean infinite play time, but the time you do spendplaying these titles rewards you for every minute, in both busy and quiet moments.
Grab a coffee, take a deep breath, and let’s dive in.
10Hollow Knight
Far From A Hollow Experience
Hollow Knight (Dupe)
The dead kingdom of Hallownest is one of themost beautiful video game worldsever, and it is easy to get lost down there.
Hollow Knighthas little secrets around every corner, and lets you choose where to go rather than leading the way, promoting player agency and emergent experiences.
This is a story about death, honor, but also hope, and the soundtrack hits right in the feels to keep the game fresh for hours on end.
The world-building is fantastic, the gameplay flows well thanks to the highly responsive controls, and success is incredibly rewardingat each and every step of the way.
9Fallout 4
Enjoy the Wasteland Blues
In a strictly technical sense, the main story inFallout 4is short. Fortunately, Bethesda has packed the game with so much content you never want to rush.
The pinnacle ofFallout 4isthe settlement system, where you bring back some semblance of civilization to the nuclear wasteland.
When you are not busy building the new world on the ashes of the old one,Fallout 4makes mere survival rewarding.
The game’s mechanics (especially if you play in Survival mode) make you appreciate every scrap that falls your way, and you become aware of the fragility of human life when headed to a dodgy part of town to risk it all for basic supplies.
But hey, a few rads never killed anybody, right?
8No Man’s Sky
In Space, Nobody Can Hear You Grind
No Man’s Sky
Once upon a time,No Man’s Skywas a running joke in the gaming world. Today, it isthe most fleshed-out space exploration gamein the market, especially afterStarfieldfailed to meet expectations.
Thanks to its procedurally generated universe, the limit to how much you can explore inNo Man’s Skyis your free time.
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The starting segment ofNo Man’s Skymay feel a little canned, but it is by design. Playing through those early quests gets you acquainted with all the mechanics you need to make your exploration more straightforward.
What makes this game so beautiful is that every little corner has a fun distraction to tempt you, be it a crashed ship in a salvageable state or needing that one specific resource your planet does not have.
Set up that colony, chase after resources, and thentake a deep breath while appreciating the scenery.
7Civilization 6
Humanity In A Nutshell
Sid Meier’s Civilization 6
Civhas multiplayer, but solo play is where the game truly shines.
Betweenthe primordials of humanityand today, there is a lot to do.Civilization 6games can take 8–12 hours each to complete.
While a lot of the flows are similar between games, no two matches are the same, and you get the joy of watching yourselfbecome progressively better at this nation-building exercise.
If you are new, the in-game Civolopedia helps you feel less overwhelmed by the complexity ofCiv 6, though you may still need a few YouTube guides (shoutout toPotatoMcWhiskey) and a lot of trial and error to feel at home.
6Monster Hunter World
Relaxing Slayer Vibes
Monster Hunter World
Capcom releasedMonster Hunter World, hoping to welcome new players, and it achieved just that.
The pace inWorldis faster than in previous installments in the series, butthe game still moves slowly through the main story.
Your job, plain and simple, is to kill. Between epic hunts, though, you get toenjoy gathering queststhat make you appreciate the quiet moments.
Relative to other titles,Monster Hunter Worldgives a lot more attention to nature instead of leaning on ruins to build the world.
As a result, you have to explore every nook and cranny yourself, with no remains of lost worlds to hold your hand and take away from the fun.
Cowboy Fishing Simulator
Red Dead Redemption 2
Westerns have an undeniable charm, butRed Dead Redemption 2takes that to levels never seen before in gaming.
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Rockstar established itself as the champion of open worlds with theGrand Theft Autoseries, and it makes good on this experience withRed Dead Redemption 2.
The game does not make any compromises, allowing you to fully immerse yourself inthe underworld of 1899 Americawhile the story unravels.
Ask anyone who has played this game, and they will be able to tell you what timesink drew them away from the main quest.
Whether you like fishing for hours on end or squandering your hard (if sometimes criminally) earned cash at the blackjack table,RDR2draws you in like a siren song.
4Baldur’s Gate 3
Love Is In The Air
Baldur’s Gate 3
There is no such thing as a boredBaldur’s Gate 3player. According to Steam, the average playtime is around 100 hours.
Baldur’s Gate 3takes a long time to finish, and the beauty of the game is thateach playthrough is different.
Even if you are the one-and-done type, you have at least 80 hours of beautiful stories, andunlikely romancesto unravel.
What setsBaldur’s Gate 3apart is that these long hours are packed to the brim with things to do, to the point where it is possible to break the 200-hour mark without ever reaching the end of the game.
3Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Limitless Exploration
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Nintendo Switch changed portable gaming forever, andZelda: Breath of the Wildplayed a crucial role in that.
Breath of the Wild offersa huge open world, but one that makes you appreciate the empty bits too.Every little spot in the map is accessible, which makes exploration a joy.
The game packs a weather system that keeps things fresh, and it has plenty to do for hours and hours on end without getting bored.
Do bear in mind that the ability to explore everything freely can be a drawback, as you can sleepwalk your way through the game without seeing one-fourth of it.
2Death Stranding
Keep On Carrying On
Death Stranding
Nobody knows what life will be like after the apocalypse, butDeath Strandingassures us of one thing: there will still be DoorDash.
Death Stranding gives youan enticing plotand a lot of celebrity cameos, but what makes the game shine is what you do between main missions.
Whether you’re leisurely hiking up a mountain, dodging BTs in the snow, or carrying unholy amounts of materials to pave roads,everything feels rewarding and unpredictable.
There is no mistake in singling out roads here, as they take the bulk of your free time once you unlock vehicles. Some areas get quite stressful after a while, and being able to zoom past the BT hell makes it worth the thirty trips.
1Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy 15
Four buddies, a luxury car, and a wedding.Final Fantasy XVandThe Hangovertrilogy have that much in common, but you get a lot more hours out of the Square Enix title.
The open world inFinal Fantasy XVhas beautiful sights, lots of characters to interact with, and even more missions.
What makes it so entertaining is thatyou can carve your own path, whether as a hunter, a fisherman, or a photographer.
The money you earn goes mainly towards much-needed potions, as weapon traders have a disappointing selection (except for the guys stocking Holy Weapons for unrestricted dungeon warfare).
Between quests, you get to enjoy cozy camping, the best videogame food ever, and car rides worth sitting through instead of fast travel.
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