Can anyone reccomend a decent short video game I can play?

[Mahaloth]

My computer is new, but is a laptop. It has run Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, and Elder Scrolls IV quite well, thought not at their top detail levels. I ran Bioshock as well and I think it was near the top details. It is a PC running Windows 7.

Anyway, I have beat the life out of Elder Scrolls IV(main quest, side-quests, and Shivering Isles and KOT9) and have a couple weeks of down-time before I get crazy busy. I don't want to launch a big RPG that I won't be able to finish in a couple weeks. I do have Dragon Ages: Origins sitting there, but will wait until another slow period to play it. I wasn't into Bioshock enough to play its sequel.

So it basically rules out all time consuming RPG games.

What shooters are out there that you think might run on my computer? Or other fun games that are not super intensive and long?

Side note: If Oblivion runs well at low-medium details, what shot do I have a Skyrim running?

Not interested in Diablo III, not matter how long or short it is.

[Mr. Excellent]

Play Amnesia: The Dark Descent. http://amnesiagame.com/ . It's the very antithesis of a shooter - you're unarmed and utterly helpless against the monsters in this game. In fact, even *looking* at the monsters is dangerous - you can panic, make noise, and thus doom yourself. But it's the very, very best horror game I've ever played. Probably my favorite videogame, full stop.

There were moments in this game when I hit CTRL-ALT-DEL out of pure panic at seeing an empty corridor, and moments where I was genuinely, sincerely appalled at what I (as the player character) was doing. Very rare to have these sorts of reactions to a game.

[Mahaloth]

Is Amnesia a shooter at all? If not, is it more of an adventure game? I'm curious.

[Munch]

You can get through Borderlands pretty quick. Also, Portal.

[Tanbarkie]

Definitely Portal, if you haven't played it yet. One of the best games of the past decade, and only three to four hours long in total.

[Kinthalis]

Originally Posted by Mahaloth

Is Amnesia a shooter at all? If not, is it more of an adventure game? I'm curious.

It's survival horror in it's purest form.

I would recommend you play it with the lights off and a pair of decent headphones, but I really don't want to be responsible for your untimely death.

Let's see, you want short, action games, right. Nothing that'll have you tracking a quest accross a continent...

I would recommend the Batman games. Arkham Asylum for starters. It's got the right mix of action/adventure and RPG elements - character progression, exploration, etc (since you like those) combined with a more focused environment and a fairly linear story line. You can take your time with it if you want to, or finish it pretty quickly, but even if you take your time we're talking 20-30 hours, not 50+. Combat is a lot of fun too, though it's not a shooter.

Borderlands is a loot-driven shooter. It's a big game, but the quests can be processed fairly quickly and so it can be a bite sized experience. I'm not sure if you need story and a single-player experience, but if not, any number of multi-player only shooters are available to pass the time with. From free to play games like Team Fortress 2, The new tribes, Black Light, to the ones you need to pay for like Left 4 Dead 2.

Portal isn't really a shooter, but it's played from a first person perspective and you shoot portals at things You should be able to burn through it in under 5 hours, and regardless of taste, it's probably going to be an enjoyable experience for you.

[Astral Rejection]

Deus Ex: Human Revolution was a smart third-person shooter with a lot of fun RPG elements. Plus, every single mission can be beaten by shooting all of the opponents in the face, or carefully (and nonlethally) sneaking around and neutralizing them.

It's got gorgeous visuals, fun levels, and imaginative world-building, so I think it would be right up your alley. And, it should play fabulously on your computer!

[Astral Rejection]

Forgot to mention: you can beat it in 6-10 hours or so. Sneaking takes longer than blowing things up.

[Sir T-Cups]

Originally Posted by Mahaloth

Is Amnesia a shooter at all? If not, is it more of an adventure game? I'm curious.

I would answer this for you...but I'm sorry I forget.

[Airk]

So... are you looking for...

A short RPG? Try Penny Arcade Adventures (Aka "On the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness")
An Action RPG? Try Ys: Oath in Felghana
A puzzle game with light RPG elements? Try Clash of Heroes

[Jophiel]

Darkness II takes maybe eight hours to play through if you're taking your time but not sweating every achievement. I enjoyed it; the mechanics of the extra tendril/arms was fun and the art and voice acting was well done.

Homefront's single player campaign is maybe six hours. About a third to half of that is vehicle-oriented missions which I really dislike in my FPS's. Also, while the overarching world was interesting (occupied USA), the actual plot line was often inane and there was some facepalm inducing AI issues (like having my companions box me in and refuse to move). But it does meet the "short" criteria.

[lazybratsche]

If your computer is having trouble with Oblivion, then there's probably no chance that Skyrim will be playable at all.

Anyways, I'll throw out my recommendation for Bastion. It's sort of an action/RPG/adventure game. The gameplay is solid, and the narration and artwork are absolutely outstanding. You can finish it in ~5 hours, and all the levels are in nice bite-sized chunks. I think I picked it up on some sale, and I liked it so much that I bought it again in one of the Humble Indie Bundles, just so that I could send more money to the developers.

[DigitalC]

Portal, it should take around 6 hours to beat and it is one of the best games of the decade.

[Mr. Excellent]

Originally Posted by DigitalC

Portal, it should take around 6 hours to beat and it is one of the best games of the decade.

Plus, at the end, there is cake!

[Swords to Plowshares]

Bastion is always the top game I recommend for a good not-too-long game (maybe 8 hours or so). Short and sweet. Great story, narration, and combat.

[Arrogance Ex Machina]

Originally Posted by Swords to Plowshares

Bastion is always the top game I recommend for a good not-too-long game (maybe 8 hours or so). Short and sweet. Great story, narration, and combat.

I'll third this - I don't even really like most of the games of that type, but Bastion just oozes charm and its not too difficult if you don't deliberately piss of the gods to make it harder. I'll also second Borderlands - nice open-world shooter that can be played in short sessions.

[bleach]

Lots of good suggestions.

My suggestion would be Psychonauts. It's fun, quirky, will run great on your laptop, and it's cheap. You do shoot things but there's so much more. You're a camper at a summer camp for telekinetically gifted kids. But something sinister is lurking nearby...

[Balance]

Excellent suggestions already; I can't recommend Portal and Bastion highly enough. For a complete change of mood, there's Limbo, a wonderfully creepy, highly stylized puzzle/platformer. I found it very engaging and quick to play, if a bit disturbing.

I can't think of any shooters that fit the bill; I don't play them all that much, except for RPG/shooter hybrids, which tend to be relatively long (at least, the way I play them).

[Mahaloth]

I played Portal and loved it(the sequel as well). I have Limbo, but am keeping it to play with my wife.

Bastion. I may try that. Sounds cool.

[Tom Scud]

Magicka hasn't been suggested yet - it's a pretty awesome shooter/rpg (of sorts); it suffers from the fact that many of the later boss fights are impossible until you figure out the trick and then trivial afterwards, but still, big fun.

[smiling bandit]

I've been enjoying Chantelise. It's cute, but not sacharine. It's short, but has a lot to see and do within that length. It's tough, but not unfair.

[panamajack]

Amnesia:TDD doesn't have any shooting. It's pretty much an adventure game (object manipulation in the game solves most puzzles), but you do have to make some quick reactions. You might be running away from something or manipulating an object with relative speed. It does require you to monitor both health and sanity levels. Yahtzee's Review is pretty spot-on.

[Lute Skywatcher]

Containment: The Zombie Puzzler took the typical Zombie Apocalpyse shooter and turned it into a fun puzzle game.

[Mahaloth]

Originally Posted by panamajack

Amnesia:TDD doesn't have any shooting. It's pretty much an adventure game (object manipulation in the game solves most puzzles), but you do have to make some quick reactions. You might be running away from something or manipulating an object with relative speed. It does require you to monitor both health and sanity levels. Yahtzee's Review is pretty spot-on.

I have begun it, at it sounds like the most what I'm looking forward. Have not yet seen any baddies(only 45 minutes in), but enjoying the mood. It really is an adventure game so far. I keep looking for hiding places. I'm not sure if I should be looking to hide in cabinets, or the nearest light source.

After this, if I have time, I may try Borderlands or Bastion.

By all means keep the suggestions coming! I really appreciate it.

[TimeWinder]

Originally Posted by bleach

My suggestion would be Psychonauts. It's fun, quirky, will run great on your laptop, and it's cheap. You do shoot things but there's so much more. You're a camper at a summer camp for telekinetically gifted kids. But something sinister is lurking nearby...

Yes, except that it takes about 5 hours for the first 99% of the game, then about 15 more for the final level, which is *insanely* difficult. I think I read somewhere that almost no one finishes it because of the abrupt difficulty increase.

[Sicks Ate]

I had a BLAST with Atom Zombie Smasher...episodes are just a couple minutes long, so you can pop in and out when you get a chance. Edit: AND there are a ton of ways to customize and tinker with the game, so if you just feel like blowing up zombies wholesale you may, but it at the same time you can make sure that it never gets too easy.

Trine and Trine II are both great games which were recommended to me when I asked a similar question, and I would highly recommend.

[Mahaloth]

Originally Posted by TimeWinder

Yes, except that it takes about 5 hours for the first 99% of the game, then about 15 more for the final level, which is *insanely* difficult. I think I read somewhere that almost no one finishes it because of the abrupt difficulty increase.

I have played and beaten Psychonauts twice. I found the whole game took a lot longer than 5 hours, though, with or without the final level. It was hard, but no deal-breaker.

[Tanbarkie]

Another vote for Bastion - can't believe I forgot to mention it. One of my favorite games of the past year.

[Mr. Excellent]

Originally Posted by Mahaloth

I have begun it, at it sounds like the most what I'm looking forward. Have not yet seen any baddies(only 45 minutes in), but enjoying the mood. It really is an adventure game so far. I keep looking for hiding places. I'm not sure if I should be looking to hide in cabinets, or the nearest light source.

Do not hide in the light. Things find you in the light. Horrible, horrible things. And you can see them.

[Johnny Bravo]

I have Amnesia on my Steam account from some Indie Bundle that I bought (I buy those freaking things like they're candy), but I'm scared to play it.

You guys are NOT HELPING.

[Kinthalis]

Originally Posted by Johnny Bravo

I have Amnesia on my Steam account from some Indie Bundle that I bought (I buy those freaking things like they're candy), but I'm scared to play it.

You guys are NOT HELPING.

I couldn't finish it myself, didn't even get that far into it, maybe a couple of hours tops.

At one point I was freaking out about footsteps coming closer and my wife decided to tap me on the shoulder just as I was opening a door and something jumped out at me. I fell off my chair, spilled my beer all over my desk/keyboard, hit my head against the coffee table, yelped so loud that my wife was startled backwards, tripped over the a fore mentioned coffee table and landed on her @ss.


Took about 15 minutes for my blood pressure ot return to normal.

No more Amnesia for me after that.

[Airk]

Originally Posted by smiling bandit

I've been enjoying Chantelise. It's cute, but not sacharine. It's short, but has a lot to see and do within that length. It's tough, but not unfair.

I found the gameplay in Chantellise a little frustrating, and never quite finished it.

I enjoyed Recettear and Fortune Summoners a lot more.

Bastion was pretty good, but aside from the narration was a pretty average action RPG.

[Mahaloth]

I just finished the opening section of Amnesia. I mixed the chemicals to make an acid and burned the goop blocking the refinery area. I've entered the refinery now....

Seen no monsters yet, except one from afar. I have a feeling I'm getting closer to the actual monsters, though. The tension is pretty scary.

[Mr. Excellent]

Originally Posted by Mahaloth

I just finished the opening section of Amnesia. I mixed the chemicals to make an acid and burned the goop blocking the refinery area. I've entered the refinery now....

Seen no monsters yet, except one from afar. I have a feeling I'm getting closer to the actual monsters, though. The tension is pretty scary.

Stop playing now. You can still turn back. It's summertime - there are beaches. With beautiful women. And children playing. The sun is shining. You don't need to see the things you'll see. Or learn all the things you've done. Just stop. God, just stop.

[Mahaloth]

Originally Posted by Mr. Excellent

Stop playing now. You can still turn back. It's summertime - there are beaches. With beautiful women. And children playing. The sun is shining. You don't need to see the things you'll see. Or learn all the things you've done. Just stop. God, just stop.

Yeesh, it can't be that bad, can it?

Anyway, I saw the first(obviously scripted) monster in the Guest Room. Indeed, it freaked me out and I had to run to a cabinet to hide.

I can't wait to see what else there is.

[Kobal2]

Good shooters ? Try Call of Juarez 1 and/or 2. Very fun, and quite purdy. In what other game is the Bible a weapon you can use (in one hand. The other hand is for dynamite.) ?

But not CoJ:The Cartel. Never The Cartel. In fact, if you ever meet someone who played it, cross the street and sign yourself.

[drewtwo99]

Originally Posted by Mahaloth

Yeesh, it can't be that bad, can it?

Anyway, I saw the first(obviously scripted) monster in the Guest Room. Indeed, it freaked me out and I had to run to a cabinet to hide.

I can't wait to see what else there is.

I just recently played Amnesia. I am terrible at these adventure type games though, and I have no patience for the type of puzzle solving that they employ, so I used a walkthrough. And I didn't play at night, or alone.

But it was still very scary!!!

So yes, if i had actually played on my own, in the dark, without a walkthrough... I don't think I ever would have made it through just from the sheer terror it envokes.

But it is a very, very good game.

[antonio107]

I usually just break out my totally okay, public domain NES roms, and go to town for a few weeks on those!

If you want something new-ish, how about Super Meat Boy? That (and Duke Nukem: Manhattan project) are the last pure PC games I remember buying.

[Jragon]

Originally Posted by smiling bandit

I've been enjoying Chantelise. It's cute, but not sacharine. It's short, but has a lot to see and do within that length. It's tough, but not unfair.

Originally Posted by Airk

I found the gameplay in Chantellise a little frustrating, and never quite finished it.

I enjoyed Recettear and Fortune Summoners a lot more.

Bastion was pretty good, but aside from the narration was a pretty average action RPG.

Seconded. Especially Recettear. Fortune Summoners can get admittedly get a bit... unfair, especially when you're Arche alone what with the horrible faux-fighting game controls (intentionally bad, according to Carpe Fulgur!). You'll be Arche alone a LOT.

I wouldn't recommend Amnesia unless they fixed the problems Penumbra had. Penumbra was scary until you realized you can easily outrun everything. Then it becomes the funniest game EVER as you outrun everything either outside its aggro range or to the next loading screen. If they fixed that it'll probably be good and scary, but otherwise it will just be an adventure in tedium.

I'll throw in a recommendation of Yahtzee's Chzo Mythos games, starting with 5 Days a Stranger, followed by 7 Days a Skeptic, Trilby's Notes, and 6 Days a Sacrifice (Trilby: The Art of Theft follows the same character from the first and third games, but is completely unrelated plot wise, if it even has a plot).

[Mahaloth]

Originally Posted by Jragon

I'll throw in a recommendation of Yahtzee's Chzo Mythos games, starting with 5 Days a Stranger, followed by 7 Days a Skeptic, Trilby's Notes, and 6 Days a Sacrifice (Trilby: The Art of Theft follows the same character from the first and third games, but is completely unrelated plot wise, if it even has a plot).

Played them as they were released. Good games.

[Mahaloth]

Originally Posted by Astral Rejection

Deus Ex: Human Revolution was a smart third-person shooter with a lot of fun RPG elements. Plus, every single mission can be beaten by shooting all of the opponents in the face, or carefully (and nonlethally) sneaking around and neutralizing them.

It's got gorgeous visuals, fun levels, and imaginative world-building, so I think it would be right up your alley. And, it should play fabulously on your computer!

Third person or First person shooter? I prefer FPS. I played the original Deux Ex back a long time ago, so I may check this out some time.

I'm glad they made a sequel that didn't suck.

[Johnny Bravo]

Human Revolution is an FPS.

The biggest problem with it, and this was acknowledged by the designers later on, is that the boss fights are pretty terrible and don't give any real options for non-combat characters.

The rest of the game is top-notch, though, and since my character rolled around with a minigun I didn't have too many problems.

[Mahaloth]

Originally Posted by Johnny Bravo

The rest of the game is top-notch, though, and since my character rolled around with a minigun I didn't have too many problems.

Cool, thanks for the heads up. I'll make sure I don't go pure "non-combat" in that one.

[Swords to Plowshares]

Originally Posted by bleach

Lots of good suggestions.

My suggestion would be Psychonauts. It's fun, quirky, will run great on your laptop, and it's cheap. You do shoot things but there's so much more. You're a camper at a summer camp for telekinetically gifted kids. But something sinister is lurking nearby...

Play it with a controller if at all possible. The PC controls are terrible.

[Kobal2]

Originally Posted by Johnny Bravo

Human Revolution is an FPS.

The biggest problem with it, and this was acknowledged by the designers later on, is that the boss fights are pretty terrible and don't give any real options for non-combat characters.

Pretty easy to cheese them with the Typhoon augmentation though. Maybe tase the boss first, then pop it twice in quick succession at point blank range and bye bye bosses. A bit underwhelming I suppose, but then the boss fights are crap anyway, so.

For me though, the most disappointing thing was the "choose your ending" booth. For such a story-driven game, that was really surprising and quite the let-down. I mean, the endings themselves are nice, well worded and each would be an excellent capping stone for this or that type of playthrough/player vision on the game... but because you get to see them through that bit of bullshit, it just cheapens the whole thing.