How do you feel about games that are hundreds of hours long?

[StaceyPowers]

How do you feel about games that are hundreds of hours long? I don’t mind it, but I do have to admit that shorter games are often refreshing for me. Epically massive game almost cause something like FOMO in me, where I worry I will just never get to experience everything.

 

[Shagger]

The longest game for a single playthrough that I've played is Kingdoms of Amalur. With the DLC included, you could easily sink over 200 hours into it. I was fine with that because that was a kind of game that works well with that kind of length, but I was to play something like a FPS, hack and slash or an interactive narrative for that long it would drive me mad.

[Withywarlock]

I'm not impressed by it when it's touted as a feature or an accomplishment of games design. Making a long game is no small feat, but keeping the player's interest for its duration is the real challenge. Some games suit it and other games don't. I once said that Pathfinder: Kingmaker is the best game I'll never play again because its campaign took me over 120 hours to complete, which was completely unnecessary. However I've since played it again for less time and have enjoyed it more because I've better managed my time. It's a shame it took me over 100 hours to figure that out.

And then there's games like those of Spiders such as Of Orcs & Men, Mars: War Logs, and GreedFall, which are all a third of their length too long. Of Orcs should've taken 9 hours but lasted 12; Mars: War Logs was fine being 15 hours long but went on for at least 20; and GreedFall would've been great ending at the 25 hour mark instead of the 65 hour mark. In each of their games I've completed all their side quests, but there's far too many despite how short their games are. Otherwise they're brilliant, their stories and characters and ideas outshining the eurojank they're famed for. The longer you spend in a Spiders game however, the more you see past its sheen.

To quote Antoine de Saint-Exupery (as I often do), "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

Edited July 17, 2022 by Withywarlock

[Heatman]

The most important thing for me in such games would be for the gameplay to worth the time it required me to stay in it. It's just like in Dying Light 2 Stay Human that's quite long as well but I don't have any problems with playing it as I enjoyed every bit of play it brings up. 

[Yaramaki]

That's a good questions sometimes if the game in question is that good and you are enjoying yourself it doesen't feel like you just spend 100+ hours on a game. 

Life simulation which have become one of my favourite genres over the years games like stardew valley, my time in portia and story of seasons, just to name a few i can easily put over 100 hours in and not get bored or feel guilty about, not only because they are relaxing games in there own way but because you are always working towards a certain goalwheter it's getting married or boosting friendships, upgrading your house or barn, doing quests for npc's or just goofing around, just when you are about to get bored usually something new happens in these games that keep you playing for another 20 hours.

Ubisoft on the other hand their games don't respect the players their time and this is where the biggest problem lies for me where a normal person just ignores certain quests/collectibles and moves on. For me no matter how boring it becomes at one point, i just want to clear out the entire map. Don't know what it is, it gives me some sick sense of satisfaction when the entire map is cleard of collectibles/ side quests and there is nothing left to do anymore. Afterwards i dread myself for wasting 50 hours of my life but i keep falling into that same trap over and over.

I think the above mentioned Greedfall by @Withywarlock while i agree with most what he said it's the best game by spiders and i feel like give that studio a decent budget and they could probably come close to triple a rpg territority. It is a perfect example of a game stretching it for too long because a lot of quests have you just running around go to this person, then go to that person, why don't you ask the natives who in turn aren't willing to help unless you do this. Kill the same enemies you've killed a 100 times already along the way and it's just keeps going you also have to go trough the same locations a couple of times which diden't really help either, i think i spent close to 70 hours but the last 20 hours i had to force myself to keep continue playing the game. The games lore and characters are exellent and that is what kept me playing but after hearing the same phrases like a bit of poison on my blade or things are about to get dicy it started to get old.

Edited July 17, 2022 by Yaramaki

[Justin11]

I am not concerned about the hours in which the game is programmed to run. What truly matters is the 'gameplay. Because, I am not playing any game to end anytime soon. I play only for the curiosity, I can count how many games I've completed in the last two years, just few numbers compared to how many I've attempted. 

[Empire]

Many games have insane replayability, and is often the point of them. Like a sport in real life, its the same game, but people keep going back because while similar in rules, the game is never the same each time you play.

I think if you sink lots of time into one game and enjoyed it, then you got a ton of your money's worth of entertainment. Its when I spend a small time in a game, that is when I feel like I got shorted. Some games like DOTA, POE and LOL are essentially free(if you so choose) and they can give you over 1000 hours of fun for no cost.

[Heatman]

9 minutes ago, Empire said:

Many games have insane replayability, and is often the point of them. Like a sport in real life, its the same game, but people keep going back because while similar in rules, the game is never the same each time you play.

I think if you sink lots of time into one game and enjoyed it, then you got a ton of your money's worth of entertainment. Its when I spend a small time in a game, that is when I feel like I got shorted. Some games like DOTA, POE and LOL are essentially free(if you so choose) and they can give you over 1000 hours of fun for no cost.

Apart from when you decide to spend on the game's - League of Legends, DOTA POE and even Fortnite microtransactions, that's when you're actually paying for something in it. 

[Justin11]

Call Of Duty Warzone, GTA V, GTA SA, Fallout: New Vegas, Final Fantasy XII. Are all video games I've played that are long in which I didn't complete up to this day. 

[Heatman]

2 minutes ago, Justin11 said:

Call Of Duty Warzone, GTA V, GTA SA, Fallout: New Vegas, Final Fantasy XII. Are all video games I've played that are long in which I didn't complete up to this day. 

I'm not freaked about completing games either but there are some games that I have to try my possible best to complete no matter how long the games are. Games like Ghost of Tsushima and GTA V are on top of that list for me. 

[Clasher]

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Complete),Persona 5 Royal,Final Fantasy XII are Games that suits this description but I never for once bothered about time when I played this video games, I am not really interested in completing a video game in just one play so I could play a particular game for some weeks before I could even be able to complete it.

As long as I am enjoying the game I don't bother about it's length.

Edited July 18, 2022 by Clasher

[Justin11]

11 minutes ago, Heatman said:

I'm not freaked about completing games either but there are some games that I have to try my possible best to complete no matter how long the games are. Games like Ghost of Tsushima and GTA V are on top of that list for me. 

Have you completed Ghost of Tsushima and GTA V? I've never seen or heard anyone completing Ghost of Tsushima, you're the first to claim it, that's great if you've completed the game. 

[Clasher]

1 minute ago, Justin11 said:

Have you completed Ghost of Tsushima

I have played this game a few times but I haven't heard of anyone around  who have been able to complete the game.

You have to devote a good amount of time and commitment to be able to complete this game.

[Justin11]

18 minutes ago, Clasher said:

I have played this game a few times but I haven't heard of anyone around  who have been able to complete the game.

You have to devote a good amount of time and commitment to be able to complete this game.

Hmm, it is surprising to me seeing that you completed the game. Like how many months did it take you to round of Ghost Of Tsushima? Because it isn't a game you complete within few days, even if you spend your life there. 

[Clasher]

2 minutes ago, Justin11 said:

Hmm, it is surprising to me seeing that you completed the game. Like how many months did it take you to round of Ghost Of Tsushima? Because it isn't a game you complete within few days, even if you spend your life there. 

Ghost of tsushima isn't really a long game compared to others I have played as well and it's only about 25 hours long.

I actually said I haven't completed it yet and that's because I only started playing it a few months ago and barely plays it often.

If you devote your time to it you could complete it in some days or at most a week.