Those who have grown up with gaming, in particular, will probably be familiar with the concept of setting limits on play time. After homework is complete, perhaps, or once chores are done, with a little more leeway on weekends. The fact is, whatever your age, games can be as gripping and immersive as anything, and it's easy to lose track of time while playing them.
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We might promise ourselves that we'll play just one more match in this FPS, or just one more run in a certain roguelike, but that's exactly when we know that the developer's done something right. Their number one goal is to craft worlds and experiences so immersive that players don't want to put their controller down and leave them behind. These titles are perfect examples of that concept.
Hades 2
Back Once More To The Crossroads
Hades 2
- Released
- September 25, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen / Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Supergiant Games
The success of Supergiant Games' Hades series isn't simply a result of its fluid, varied, and engaging combat, even though we don't often have to ask much more of a roguelike or roguelite. What these titles do so well is layer a fascinating and ever-twisting narrative around the action. Zagreus' misadventures in the first game presented multi-layered family drama, romances, and so much more through the irresistible lens of Ancient Greek mythology. Hades 2 picked up that baton with Melinoë's story, buoyed by a supporting cast as crucial as each of the brilliant new weapons our heroine can wield.
These are some of the most celebrated titles in the roguelite genre, and for good reason. It's not simply the impetus to play another run that will make several hours fly by in an instant, but the desire to advance the story. Whether completing sidequests, building bonds with characters, tracking down ingredients for that new concoction, or unlocking the next piece of dialogue, Hades 2 doesn't just keep players coming back for more; It doesn't want them to stop in the first place.
Red Dead Redemption 2
A World So Very Easy To Get Lost In
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
Since Red Dead Redemption 2 first launched in October 2018, an array of open-world games have followed in its footsteps. Some, arguably, have been bigger games, but there's still something here that players can't quite find anywhere else. In some ways, RDR2 is a game designed to be more realistic than 'fun,' but this is a testament to Rockstar's phenomenal worldbuilding. Bears, it was quite recently discovered, will not attack Arthur Morgan if he remains still and doesn't engage them, and that's just a tiny sample of the level of detail at work here.
All that work really paid off. This is an adventure where the main campaign alone will last approximately 50.5 hours according to How Long To Beat, and it can take almost 200 hours to experience everything on offer. The many tangents players can meander down, such as hunting, are fun and rewarding, and the challenge often increases to keep them playing (players can work their way up to legendary beasts). Other activities like fishing aren't just distractions; they're worthwhile projects, and players will probably find themselves following the Van der Linde gang's exploits into the early hours.
Alien: Isolation
Licensed Horror Of The Most Gripping Kind
Alien: Isolation
- Released
- October 7, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Creative Assembly
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Alien is a franchise that's quite difficult to do justice to in video game form. Back in 1977, the legendary first movie demonstrated that the Xenomorph is a powerful tool of terror when it's used sparingly. Its sequel, of course, largely left that behind in favor of out-and-out action, but Alien: Isolation went all the way back to the series' roots. Atmosphere is absolutely crucial in a horror game, and Isolation, which stars Ellen Ripley's daughter, Amanda, and takes place after the tragic events on the Nostromo, does a perfect job of emphasizing that.
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The pacing is excellent, building the tension nicely throughout. As she explores the Sevastopol, Amanda is armed with a limited selection of tools and weapons (think fellow space engineer Isaac Clarke of Dead Space), but when the Xenomorph is on the prowl, hiding is often the only way to survive. With this delicate balance, Isolation's action manages not to be too passive, nor too reliant on fighting. The need to weigh the best approach to survive each encounter adds further stress and keeps the action utterly immersive. There are few recent horror games so highly acclaimed, and it's sure to sink its claws into genre fans.
Balatro
Just A Couple More Hands
Balatro
- Released
- February 20, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Gambling Themes
- Developer(s)
- LocalThunk
- Genre(s)
- Strategy, Digital Card Game, Roguelike
Balatro, of course, doesn't have a gripping story to follow. There's absolutely zero narrative to be found anywhere, in fact. It's a game that absolutely understands what it wants to be and embraces that, and the end result is that it keeps players engaged like few titles in recent memory. Some have it on their smartphones as well as other systems, just to ensure that they're never far away from their next run with Jimbo and friends. It has become one of the decade's most influential games.
Balatro is an immersive deckbuilding roguelike designed to perfection. A successful run might take half an hour or so, but players often find themselves automatically starting another almost without realizing it, changing decks or antes just to keep things fresh. It's designed to feel rewarding at every turn, constantly teaching the player new strategies and approaches whether they win or lose. The feeling of steadily improving (and watching those scores skyrocket as a result) is unrivaled.
World Of Warcraft
At This Point, We Should Just Move To Azeroth
World of Warcraft
- Released
- November 23, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
World of Warcraft is a name that even those out of the gaming sphere are probably familiar with. More broadly, Warcraft extends to comic books, TCGs, the big screen, and beyond. It's probably best known, however, as an MMORPG that sucks players into Azeroth and does absolutely all it can to keep them there.
First released in 2004, World of Warcraft has had considerable ups and downs throughout its long life. Players have embraced certain changes and deplored others, resulting in peaks and troughs of popularity. Even so, there's no denying the astounding breadth of content and things to do in this expansive world. There's an enormous amount to learn about Azeroth for those lore-hunters, and just as many enemies to battle for monster hunters. The social elements are strong too, whether fans want to make friends or do battle with others. The image of an MMORPG as, essentially, a second life to jump into is a big cliche, but it's certainly true in the case of WoW.
Stardew Valley
A Farmer's Life, Just As You Want It
Stardew Valley
- Released
- February 26, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
- Developer(s)
- ConcernedApe
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Simulation
Stardew Valley isn't an open-world epic, but the remarkable thing is that it can take just as long to 'finish,' depending on what each player's personal end-game goal is and how many in-game years they want to take to complete it. Here is an indie title, lovingly developed by just one person, that has received a suite of updates, new features, and add-ons since its arrival in 2016. As such, some fans have been playing for almost a decade, and developer ConcernedApe's dedication has kept them doing so.
This game had an enormous part to play in the rise in popularity of the farming sim, demonstrating that it's possible to combine all kinds of gameplay mechanics (from combat to fishing) and a surprising amount of depth while remaining incredibly accessible. There are crop prices to puzzle over, the changing seasons and their different influences on crops, relationships to advance, character stats to improve, calendar events to attend, and of course, lots of varied farming to do.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Island Life Still Has That Appeal
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Released
- March 20, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Everyone / Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
Naturally, in lots of ways, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the furthest thing from an MMORPG. That's not to say that it doesn't share some of the same traits that give those games their almost infinite appeal. Animal Crossing is a series that doesn't push the player towards specific objectives or along a particular narrative, but gives them various tools to live out their life in the game as they see fit. They can grow elaborate gardens of hybrid flowers, collect furniture and customize every inch of their home, or engage in fishing and bug-catching contests. It's possible to make millions of Bells by selling turnips for profit, or, if they don't want to rush to riches, ignore that and make a little cash selling fruits from their trees instead.
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New Horizons presents a wonderful little world in which players can spend several hours or just a few moments at a time. The Happy Home Paradise additional content, for those who love to customize houses, is one of the most immersive additions to the series yet. It's easy to spend a whole evening getting every little piece perfectly placed.
Ghost Of Yotei
Where Will The Bird Lead Us Next?
Ghost of Yotei
- Released
- October 2, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Open-World
Just like Red Dead Redemption 2, Ghost of Yotei offers a huge, well-populated, and engaging world ripe for exploring. In the wake of Ghost of Yotei's launch, many players were sharing online how many hours they had played while having only defeated the Snake. This speaks volumes about the vast, faithful, and beautiful recreation of Ezo that Sucker Punch has created, as well as how much there is to do within it.
Each time players place a marker for their next objective and charge towards it on horseback, they'll probably be interrupted by a small bird leading them to a secret, a fox that wants to do the same, or an NPC who wants to speak (or fight) with Atsu. It's a pleasure just to traverse this gorgeous landscape, and the variety on display, from the snows of Teshio Ridge to the lush greenery of Nayoro Wilds, ensures players will marvel at it throughout.
Baldur's Gate 3
Another Lesson In World Building
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Dungeons & Dragons, first and foremost, is a game about engaging the imagination. If players aren't immersed in the experience, if they aren't truly embracing their characters and the unfolding scenario, they'll get very little from it. On the other hand, if they are, whole weekends can fly by as the party explores a haunted mansion or whatever else the Dungeon Master has conjured up. When adapting the experience for Baldur's Gate 3, then, Larian Studios had to be sure that its take on the Forgotten Realms was one that players could similarly lose themselves in.
This is certainly the case here. Each potential party member offers nuanced relationships and plotlines to follow, the protagonist themselves can be customized in everything from appearance to origins, and the game's main campaign is a changeable and varied experience. One of the greatest RPGs ever made (though not the first great CRPG by a long shot), Baldur's Gate 3 has all manner of tricks up its sleeve to ensure that players want to extend their campaigns and potentially begin new ones right away after finishing it to try something new.
Civilization 6
Just One More Turn
Sid Meier's Civilization 6
- Released
- October 21, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Drug Reference, Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Firaxis Games
- Genre(s)
- Strategy
Civilization 7, the latest title in the smash series from Sid Meier, has had some post-launch teething troubles, with certain decisions (such as not sticking with the same Civ and leader throughout a game) dividing fan opinion. Thankfully, many will also be content with prior entries in the series, such as Civilization 6. These titles are rich with content, and for the dedicated player, a single campaign can take hours of careful strategizing and town development.
Even with the same leader and Civ, a campaign can play out very differently depending on which victory path players seek. A Military and Cultural victory, for instance, requires very different assets and interactions with the other Civs in the match. The AI becomes much more aggressive on higher difficulties, and it can become an intricate balancing act of players defending themselves from potential aggressors while pursuing their own ends. At pivotal stages of a campaign, potentially with dozens of units spread across the map, it's very easy to lose track of time and just keep pushing how the next turn will play out. There's a reason Civilization 6 can display the current time right there in the HUD.
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