7 Great Open-World Games You Can Actually Finish In Under 20 Hours

Large, immersive games like Grand Theft Auto 6 and Crimson Desert are designed to be incredibly time-consuming, often taking players dozens or even hundreds of hours to complete. These games now typically feature huge worlds, complex gameplay, and tons of optional things to do. Finishing one can feel less like completing a story and more like taking on a second job.

While huge, sprawling games can be amazing, they aren’t for everyone. Many players want an open world they can finish without having to dedicate weeks of their lives to it. They still want the freedom to explore and feel immersed, but without being overwhelmed by a massive time commitment. That’s why shorter open-world games are becoming popular. These games offer a complete open-world experience that can be enjoyed and finished in under 20 hours, proving that a game doesn’t need to be endlessly long to be fun and memorable.

The main story and completionist times used in this article were pulled from How Long To Beat.

Firewatch

4 – 5 Hours

First-person story about a fire lookout isolated in the Wyoming wilderness.
Focuses on exploration, dialogue choices, and a slow-burning mystery.

Firewatch is a straightforward adventure game set in a beautiful, expansive wilderness. Unlike many open-world games, it avoids unnecessary extras like skill upgrades, repetitive tasks, or endless collecting. The forest feels genuinely open for exploration, but everything you find contributes to the story. It’s a relatively short experience, typically taking around four hours to complete, depending on how much you choose to explore.

Honestly, getting around is super easy – you walk, climb, and can interact with stuff. But that simplicity is actually good because it lets you really focus on the story and how the game feels. A lot of the game happens through radio conversations, and those really build the relationships and set the mood. What I really appreciated about Firewatch is that it knows what it is and doesn’t mess around. It tells a tight, focused story, doesn’t drag things out, and ends at just the right moment. It’s actually a really relaxing game – perfect to play before bed, honestly.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

4.5 – 8.5 Hours

Standalone expansion with a smaller, more focused open island.
Unlocks powerful weapons early, so missions move quickly without grinding.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon doesn’t try to be a huge, sprawling game. It takes the core Far Cry gameplay and streamlines it for a faster experience. The game takes place on one large island that you can explore, but it’s more of an add-on to Far Cry 3 than a completely new game. While finishing the main story and all side content in Far Cry 3 can take 16 to 36 hours, Blood Dragon is much shorter, lasting around 4.5 to 8.5 hours.

Battles in Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon are fast-paced and fun. You can play aggressively or sneak around, and the game keeps things moving without getting bogged down in complicated mechanics. It also avoids overwhelming you with tons of side quests. That’s what makes Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon a worthwhile open-world experience that respects your time.

A Short Hike

1 – 4 Hours

Cozy exploration game about climbing a mountain to get phone reception
Encourages free exploration, light platforming, and small side activities

A Short Hike is a relaxing and easy-to-pick-up game perfect for a quick play session. The main goal is simple: hike to the top of a mountain. This straightforward objective defines the whole experience. You won’t find complicated tasks or a huge map – instead, it’s a small, open world that encourages exploration. As you wander through the park, you’ll meet interesting people and find collectibles that help you move around better, like improving your climbing and gliding skills.

While exploring A Short Hike, you’ll find little side activities like fishing, racing, and helping other hikers. These are quick and don’t feel repetitive – they’re more about adding fun to the experience than dragging it out. The game world is small enough to learn easily, but packed with detail that makes it feel vibrant. You can beat the main story in around an hour, and even if you try to complete everything, it shouldn’t take more than five.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales

8 – 18.5 Hours

Miles balances personal life and responsibility
Features open-world web-swinging across New York City in the winter.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales offers the same open-world gameplay as Marvel’s Spider-Man, but delivers a more streamlined and focused story. While you’ll still explore New York City, the narrative is fresh and moves at a quicker pace. Most players can finish the main story in less than 10 hours, making it a good choice for those who don’t have a lot of time to play.

The game feels incredibly fast-paced thanks to its smooth movement system. Swinging through the city is fun and efficient, making it easy to get around and complete objectives without feeling tedious. While fast travel is available, most players find they don’t need it. Side activities, like stopping crimes or completing challenges, are quick, engaging, and add to the feeling of being Spider-Man while exploring the world.

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More Games

Sable

7 – 20 Hours

Open-world desert journey centered on discovery and light puzzle-solving
No fail states or combat systems slowing down progress

Sable features a vast, open desert to discover, but it’s refreshingly relaxed. Unlike many open-world games, there are no enemies, battles, or pressing goals to distract you. You simply explore, solve small puzzles, and earn points that reflect your character’s progress. This design lets you enjoy the game at your own speed, without being tied down to lengthy quests.

What makes Sable so enjoyable is how effortlessly you can explore its world. Getting around on the hoverbike feels seamless, puzzles aren’t overly complicated, and the game always makes your goals clear. Importantly, it doesn’t pad out playtime with repetitive tasks – most players can finish everything in under 20 hours.

InFAMOUS: Second Son

10 – 20 Hours

Clear district-based objectives that are quick to complete
Combat avoids dragging things out

While it might feel like a long game due to its open world, inFAMOUS: Second Son is actually fairly short. Most players will finish the main story in about 10 hours, making it one of the quicker open-world superhero experiences.

Battles in InFAMOUS: Second Son are fast-paced and don’t overstay their welcome. They focus on moving quickly and using powers from a distance. You can defeat enemies rapidly by recharging your abilities with things in the environment, like smoke or neon lights. This makes combat exciting and keeps it from becoming tedious.

Prototype 2

10 – 19.5 Hours

Open-world action game about a soldier infected with shape-shifting abilities
Focuses on high-speed movement, brutal combat, and mission-driven progression across New York Zero

Right from the start of Prototype 2, the game emphasizes fast-paced action and lets you use your powers effectively. You don’t have to spend a lot of time unlocking basic abilities – core skills like running on walls, gliding, and defeating enemies are available quickly, letting you jump right into the full experience.

Unlike some open-world games, Prototype 2 keeps its missions close together, so you won’t waste time running all over the map. Combat is fast-paced and powerful, with abilities that quickly take down enemies. You can transform your weapons into things like claws and blades to clear out groups quickly, and brutal finishing moves keep fights from getting tedious. The game avoids overly long battles, ensuring a smooth pace. The story follows Heller’s quest for revenge in a straightforward way. Most players will finish the main story in about 10 hours, and those who aim to complete everything can expect to spend around 19 hours.

2026-03-28 15:37