Student life can be stressful and time consuming but finding time for fun is just as important as finishing schoolwork. Video games are a good outlet to have fun and relieve stress between classes.

As the video game industry continues to grow, so does the length and complexity of games. Trying to find time to play through lengthy stories can be difficult as a student. Luckily, plenty of developers are releasing bite-sized titles that can be consumed within an afternoon.

Below are a few games that even the busiest of students can fit into their schedule.

“A Short Hike” – Adamgryu

Players take control of Claire, a young bird who is looking to hike the Hawk Peak Trail. “A Short Hike” features an open world to explore with many side objectives to complete. These optional quests offer rewards that help Claire explore the world deeper, but the overall goal is to reach the peak.

“A Short Hike” lives up to its name as it will take around two hours to finish, and upward of five hours to see everything. Those looking to glide around Hawk Peak can find it on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC.

“Sayonara Wild Hearts” – Simogo

Travel to an alternate dimension and restore harmony to the world in “Sayonara Wild Hearts.” Traverse through 23 levels in this fast-paced, rhythm game. The game features a pop music soundtrack from composers Daniel Olsén and Jonathan Eng, and also includes a few vocal tracks.

“Sayonara Wild Hearts” will take players around two hours to finish and around 10 hours when going for completion. Descriptions of “Sayonara Wild Hearts” have named it a playable pop album, and if that sounds intriguing, the game can be found on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC and iOS devices.

“TOEM: A Photo Adventure” – Something We Made

Visit Scandinavian towns to take on various photo quests in “TOEM.” Take the role as a photographer on a quest to reach the mountain’s peak and witness the phenomenon known as “TOEM.” To get there, players will first need to complete quests to earn stamps to progress. A majority of the tasks will have the player take photos of the environment, while others will have them interact with the world.

“TOEM” has a runtime of around three hours, with it taking around five hours to finish all the quests. The game is available on Nintendo Switch, PS5 and PC, and new content has been announced to be released later this year.

Video games for many are a form of escape from stressful situations. Tyler Brown, a gamer since childhood, said, “Video games are absolutely a source of stress relief. They are a break from reality where all the most stressful things are thrown at me. It keeps my mind on the game and what’s happening, that by the time I come back to that stressful thing, it is either completely washed away or way easier to deal with.”

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