We all get that urge to just escape for a while, don’t we? To dive headfirst into a world so enticing and engaging that hours just melt away? Real life can be a bit too much sometimes, so we turn to games! Fortunately, the gaming world offers plenty of incredible experiences perfect for losing yourself – but, with so many incredible and famous titles out there, it can be tough to know where to start.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best games to spend hours on. Not only are they great replayable games, but they have that special something that keeps you coming back for more, even if after months or even years.
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What are the best games to spend hours on?
Keep reading to find some awesome replayable games, including some honorable mentions at the end!
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Developed by Bethesda Game Studios and released in 2011, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is an open-world action RPG taking place in the vast and diverse province of Skyrim. You can explore ancient ruins, fight dragons, complete quests, and forge your own destiny in a world brimming with lore and adventure.
Players sink countless hours into Skyrim thanks to its sheer freedom and endless character possibilities. With a massive world to explore and a seemingly infinite number of quests to undertake, there’s always something new to discover and complete.
Plus, the game has incredible replayability with a massive modding community that creates everything from combat and skill tree rehauls to completely new questlines and locations. EnaiSiaion’s mods, for example, can completely overhaul how the game works, adding dozens of new perks, spells, and even weapon types to tinker with.
Warframe
Developed by Digital Extremes and released in 2013, Warframe is a free-to-play action RPG set in an evolving sci-fi world. Players control members of the Tenno, ancient warriors who have awoken from cryosleep to find themselves at war. You can traverse the solar system with your warframe, completing missions and taking down enemies with some very fluid and fun parkour.
As you progress through the game, you will unlock many new characters, weapons, and content islands to go through, and it’s a numbers game: there’s so much to do and unlock that players can easily sink a thousand hours and still come back whenever an update drops – for reference, the next one (as of now) will drop in March 2025 and it’s packed with new content and quality of life changes.
Minecraft
Developed by Mojang Studios and released in 2011, Minecraft is a sandbox game that gives players unparalleled freedom to build, explore, and survive in a blocky, procedurally generated world. While there is an “end” to the game, the gameplay is entirely open-ended, so seeing it here shouldn’t be a surprise.
Some examples of the many things you can do in the base game: build massive farms, engineer redstone contraptions, design and decorate structures, and collect every armor trim variant.
Like Skyrim, Minecraft’s massive modding community offers endless ways to customize the game. From expansive tech modpacks like GregTech: New Horizons (GTNH), which will easily consume over 4000 hours of any player, to relaxing vanilla+ experiences (Crucial 2), there’s something for everyone. Alternatively, you can easily build modpacks yourself, too!
Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate 3, developed by Larian Studios and released in 2023, is a role-playing game that draws inspiration from the tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons. You can create your character from scratch, team up with a party of diverse characters, and venture forth to discover a world filled with secrets, treasures, and danger.
Why is this one of the best games to spend hours on? Easy: choices! With multiple outcomes for every encounter and interaction with the game and its characters, you will find yourself replaying the game multiple times to see all outcomes and party members. It’s easy to find yourself hooked by this one!
Path of Exile
Path of Exile, created by Grinding Gear Games and first released in 2013, is a free-to-play action RPG in the style of classic dungeon crawlers. You create a character, choose a class, and then set off to explore Wraeclast’s dark and dangerous world filled with monsters, loot, and endless customization options.
What keeps players hooked on Path of Exile? Well, it’s definitely not a short game! First off, the sheer variety of character builds and gearing possibilities is staggering (though not every skill is considered viable by modern standards).
Then there’s the character skill tree – so vast it intimidates newer players – and, in good Path of Exile fashion, there’s a skill tree for the atlas, the game’s core endgame mechanic, which you can customize until your heart’s content.
By the way, it’s got a slower-paced sequel in early access, but it also means both have new things coming up from time to time.
Factorio
Developed by Wube Software and released in 2016, Factorio is a construction and management simulation game where players must build and automate a factory on an alien planet. You start by hand-crafting basic items but quickly progress to automating increasingly complex production chains.
The addictive gameplay loop of automating production lines and carefully managing resources keeps players glued to their screens for hours on end. Each new challenge requires careful planning, clever design, and a willingness to tear down and rebuild when things go wrong. And they will eventually!
For those who crave even more complexity, the game has a dedicated modding community that has created expansive experiences like Krastorio 2, Space Exploration, and Pyanodon, which drastically expand the scope of the base game.
If you enjoy Factorio, similar games like Satisfactory, Shapez 2, and Dyson Sphere Program might also scratch that itch.
Closing thoughts: what makes them the best games to spend hours on?
So – what’s the secret sauce? What do these games have in common that makes them so irresistible?
One of the biggest factors is insane replayability. Games like Skyrim, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Minecraft offer almost limitless possibilities. Whether through branching storylines, player choices, or open-ended gameplay, there’s always something new to discover or a different path to take.
Mods are another key ingredient. Games with active modding communities, like Skyrim and Minecraft, can be endlessly customized and expanded upon. They keep the game fresh, add new content, and even completely overhaul the gameplay.
Then there are constant updates and new content. Games like Warframe and Path of Exile get massive updates every few months with new content, events, and challenges, giving players a reason to keep returning patch after patch.
Of course, it all boils down to addictive, satisfying gameplay. Whether building a sprawling factory in Factorio or perfecting your character build in Path of Exile, these games offer a sense of progression, accomplishment, and reward that keeps players hooked for the long haul.
At last, some honorable mentions: Stardew Valley, Terraria, Rimworld, Overwatch, Subnautica, No Man’s Sky, Risk of Rain 2, Deep Rock Galactic, World of Warcraft, Bloons Tower Defense 6, the Civilization series, Cyberpunk 2077, Monster Hunter World, Cities: Skylines 2, Fortnite, Valheim, OldSchool RuneScape (OSRS), Kenshi, and The Witcher 3 (GOTY Edition).
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Whether you’re looking for a trusted outsourcing partner or a team to develop your game from scratch for any platform, we have the expertise to bring your vision to life. With deep expertise in both Unreal and Unity, we can help you create a game that players will love to spend countless hours exploring. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you develop your next hit game!
