I'm getting tired of long games...

[Marcus]

I don't know what happened to developers that made them thing quantity over quality is correct, but I really am getting tired of these LOOONG games. Because RPGs must be balanced with gameplay and plot, they tend to be longer than normal but when you think about it, there are dozens of other games, some of them better, you could be playing in the time it takes to finish one. In the time it takes to beat Dragon Quest VIII, you could beat:

Ico
Shadow of the Colossus
God of War
God of War 2
Devil May Cry 1-3
Deus Ex 1-2
Rygar

10 games, most of them good, in the same time it takes to beat one. Arguably, videogames are expensive with new games costing between 50 and 60 USD but used games are much cheaper and there are dozens of great used products that still haven't been discovered by most players because they're busy whittling away on long ass RPGs.

I can understand getting a good bang for buck and this is a totally reasonable argument, but when you think about how much time is spent in RPGs on actually getting a unique experience? You spend more time in the menu screen or fighting slimes for 2 gold pieces than you do actually enjoying the plot or exploring the world. There's so much filler in between the juicy bits that, unless the game is particularly unique, everything doesn't even matter anymore. Even if the game is rich in other features, having to do repetitive tasks because it lengthens the gameplay only cheapens the experience.

So, yeah, I'm not ranting on RPGs in general, I'm just ranting on how developers feel the need to include garbage in their game so their players feel like they're getting "more" when in fact we're only getting "5 hours of juicy meat sandwhiched between 60 hours of stale bread."

What's your opinion on this? Personally, I think there should be a focus on replay value to provide greater length. Chrono Trigger was a really short RPG by todays standards (I beat it in 15 hours; 20 with every sidequest) but the multiple ending path and new game+ added to the length. This way, if I want a short game I get to see all the good story sequences but if I decide to lengthen the experience, I can do so without having to be forced through it.

 

[Mega Flare]

well... I like long games... 60 Hours+... but thats just me. I hate short games

 

[ArtBane]

I been feeling this way more and more. Maybe it is because I am older and I like to spend my time better. Those epic games just don't appeal to me like they used to. For me to play a game of that length it really needs to offer a unique experience. I used to be excited for games like Blue Dragon or Eternal Sonata but now they just seem like big time wasters. I am not saying those games aren't good since I haven't played them myself but they don't appeal to me.

I definitely would prefer a shorter more engaging experience to those games. For example Gears of War isn't a very long game but as soon as I finished it I wanted to play it again. I've played through its single player campaign with three different people and each time was a blast. That amounts for a decent amount of playtime.

That is not to say I don't play my share of epic games. These games though usually offer something unique that keeps me investing time in them rather than thinking there is something better I could be doing. Examples of more recent ones have been LoZ: TP, Odin Sphere, and Persona 3. Not only do they offer 30+ hours of gameplay but they offer a fun experience throughout. I never feel like its a waste of time playing these games. As soon as I feel like I need to force myself to play a game it usually ends up in the used games bin.

 

[Fafnir]

I'm absolutely fine with short games, so long as they have some replayability, and still feel fun playing through over and over again. Even bigger plus when it's for long games....
As for the filler bit, it depends on the game. If the 'filler' is actually fun, then I don't mind at all, in fact, I perfer it that way, because I want to play a game, not watch a movie. However, if the 'filler' ends up becoming just that, then the game is badly made and doesn't really belong as a game.

 

[Chaosg1]

Well, to me I think long games are fine, the only thing I need is not so much repetition, and the story keeps Moving on and on and is interesting.

 

[Cruelty]

i love all of this guy's threads. really.

i usually stop playing games after about 15 hours or so.. so usually if it's any longer than that, it's too long for me.

 

[benos]

Like Oblivion or STALKER. You might want to complete the side quests first, then the main missions before anything else.

 

[Venetia]

I really can appreciate your rant, but I prefer long games. I like devoting a lot of time and energy into a game. I feel gypped when games are short. Of course I think I have OCD too ... That could explain it.

 

[Fafnir]

I think it all comes down to whether the game can be replayed many times and still be fun, or whether it can pull you in and keep you in for the whole way. The actual length has little to do with it.

 

[Anonymous]

i don't mind length if a game has a captivating storyline. if the storyline is mediocre then the gameplay better be pretty damn excellent.

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

When there's enough story to keep me thinking - I wanna see what happens next. When theres enough openness for me to feel the illusion I'm interacting - other than NPC #5 offering me so-and-so item for such-and-such gold, or when characters "come to life" as they say, length bothers be a lot. Mostly because every game I played - all 3 - that had these 3 elements for me was way too short.

But half the games out there are too boring too be as long as they are. To repetitive. I still swear these games are getting more about graphics and jazz hands than the actual role playing in them.

 

[arcthemonkey]

My general rule is that I think games should have a 1/1 hour to dollar ratio. I feel like I've been ripped off when a $50 is anything less than 40-50 hours. It's not that I have the time or the attention span to devote to a 40-50 hour game, because I don't, but sometimes something really captures me and keeps me hooked for 60+ hours (Games like Star Ocean: Second Story, Grandia, most Final Fantasy games, and Xenogears) and I can finish them, and in these cases it becomes quickly apparent to me when a game is just too short.

First person shooters and action games are a bit different, since they usually make up for their length with replayability, but honestly, games that are TOO short still bug the hell out of me. Stuff like Gears of War and Heavenly Sword would have been damned near perfect in my book if they'd just been a bit longer.

Anyway, point is, I like long games, but I like long games that capture me, and take me along for a long ride as opposed to short games that capture me leave me dissapointed after 6-25 hours.

 

[Prexus]

I know that when I was a kid renting my SNES games from the local Microplay, I'd either be really pissed that I rented a game and wasn't able to beat it in the 3 days I had rented it for, or I would be really pissed that I rented a game and had it beaten in one sitting (WHICH WAS AN ALL TOO COMMON OCCURANCE.)

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

Wow... someone other than me who remembers the 3 day rental period.

 

[Racheal]

I grew up in the 3 day rental period! It's how I played most SNES and PS1 games.

I used to be into long games, but it seems as I've gotten older, I havn't had as much time for them. I don't mind a long game every now and again, but I have to be REALLY into it.

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

As I got older I wanted longer games, it's odd.
The shorter games annoy me now - only really in these genres or really fun to play games. Shooters I think are too short in general, but if they got long I think I'd never see an ending.

For me, when I was younger I played games a lot, but I was out a lot too. I was socially active enough that I didn't mind short games, and preferred them.

But when I got into RPGs the shortness became annoying - specifically because I really only got a handful of games a year - if that - and usually for my birthday in August. That had to last me till Christmas. And those had to last me till July, when my sister's birthday may or may not yield games. Then a month later I got mine again. And so.

But now I'm spending my money, money that should be paying off debt. I want bang for my buck damn it! I stay up all night unable to sleep, so I might as well enjoy myself with a game that'll last me some time, and one that I don't have to look up stupid walk throughs because their sidequest and hidden things are so out of left field... walk into the table 4 times and then run around the tree twice, talk to the eagle and then walk into the table again, open up menu, save, load, walk into table... great now I get to talk to someone and get some item I'll never use... a waste of time I could have spent having fun!

 

[Marcus]

You guys are lucky, the only rental store near us was a 48 hour rental period and you had to return the movie/game before the close of business or they'd charge you. It was a family owned store (Video Club) and they had some cool deals like "penny tuesday; rent something get a second thing for a penny" and the weekends were freedays so if you rented on friday, you only had to return on monday.

But yeah, most of my gaming was done through rentals as well until I got a job and I started buying crap. I remember how angry I was at RPGs because I had so little time to beat them (I ended up beating Chrono Chross in a 2 day all nighter). It was cool back in the cartridge days because you'd often have other people's saves and you would add on to them. I remember playing Chrono Trigger and there was basically a community network where everybody tried to unlock all the endings on one save.

 

[Prexus]

Heh. I remember when I rented Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, accidently loaded up the save file instead of starting a new file. I started off fighting the final boss of the game, had no idea what was going on. Just did my thing, played it out. Ended up winning, before realizing it wasn't just an introduction fight but it was actually the final boss and I ruined the ending for myself.

You were renting games when Chrono Cross was released? I was pretty sure I had a job by then. (although I did have CC on Preorder at the Microplay I rented games at... place got shut down for selling illegal copies of PSX games.)

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

Chrono Trigger was a big rental for me, I rented it, and luckily next week rented it again (because I ended up not being able to play it the first time) and actually got the same cartridge I had. I continued my story and beat it on that 2nd rental. Still bought the game.

 

[Marcus]

You were renting games when Chrono Cross was released? I was pretty sure I had a job by then. (although I did have CC on Preorder at the Microplay I rented games at... place got shut down for selling illegal copies of PSX games.)

I was working as a pizza flipper/dish washer/bus boy/bitching sponge so I wasn't making much scrap. I still liked to rent games but nowadays used games are so stupidly cheap and game stores have 7 day return policies so it's cheaper just to buy.

I mean, you can pick up FF12 now for 17 bux used and it would be 15 if you have an edge card. It's what... 5-7 dollars for a 5 day rental you're most likely not even going to finish? Yeah.