Topic: When is a game "Too Long"?

I was playing this one game recently and got annoyed when i found out that i was still nowhere near the end. What does everyone else think? When is it OK for a game to have hundreds of hours of content and when is it ok for me to go "Can I just get to the end already please???" Have you had a game you either went "That could have gone on a bit longer." or "How much longer do i have to go???" I'm asking, because i am genuinely personally conflicted about my feelings on game lengths.

I always base it on how much grinding and silly quests there are. If a game is drawn out with filler content it's an issue for me, but if it's bringing quality and variety then it's the more, the better.

Backtracking can play a big part for me. Some games implement it effectively to improve the overall presentation, like Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, but other games can really drag upon implementing it. I won't speak of JRPG's for the sake of being crucified for doing it, though.

It all depends on how fun the core gameplay loop is. In a game like Monster Hunter, the heavy grind nature is acceptable because the minute to minute gameplay is so engaging. For some games though it is more about the payoff than the core loop. Those are the games that tend to feel like they drag when you play for too long.

@GiantessSkyla The difference between good and poor implementation of backtracking is really driven home for me by the difference between Shantae and the Pirate's Curse and Shantae: Half-Genie Hero. I genuinely don't understand how the same people made the latter AFTER the former game.

@Ralizah Maybe I should play the original game. It is the only one I've never played.

@GiantessSkyla It's extremely worth playing. A bit rough around the edges compared to the sequels (primarily, heh, in the backtracking, which is a bit of a pain at times), but it was a remarkable game for the GBC, with large dungeons, detailed character sprites, and a scope that was unusual for handheld games at the time.

It's my personal favorite GBC game. An original copy is insanely hard to come by nowadays, but thankfully it's on the 3DS VC.

Yeah, I have heavily been considering playing it, as I've heard nothing but good things. Knowing I love Shantae, I see no reason why I would not love it.

@GiantessSkyla I'm still hoping we get an HD remaster of Shantae GBC one day. It'd look amazing in the new art style.

Also, I want another Shantae game to feature the rhythm dancing minigame.

@Ralizah Yeah, that would be perfect! I can only imagine how the graphics could look in that.

When it's obvious a game has filler thrown in just to make it longer. Or they had some idea that didn't really fit with the rest of the game, but they put it in anyway. Some games really feel like they need better editing and some stuff should be left on the cutting room floor.

This is where I like the idea of post-game. If you liked it and wanted more then there's more. If you just wanted the story, then you're done and don't have to do the rest.

When neither the gameplay, the story, nor the characters keep you invested and you just want the experience to end. At that point just tap out and play something else. There's no shame in not finishing a game if you're not entertained. Life's too short.

There is no such thing as "too long" for a piece of media unless it's a genuine case of you not having enough time in your life to consume it.

For example, Toy Story is extremely short for a feature length film, being less than 90 minutes long in total. It never feels too short. In fact, it almost feels longer than much longer movies that don't have great pacing.

So when it comes to games, I'd say a game is too long when it's gameplay stops being fun before it ends. This can be because of garbage pacing and inclusions of multiple gameplay styles(see: Wind Waker), or simply because a game's single style overstays its welcome (this can happen for RPGs)

A couple users commented with my thoughts on it. I'm not crazy about grinding or side quests. Fillers are usually something I stay away from as i just want the core experience. In terms of game length, 10-15 hours is a sweet spot for me. I don't mind shorter games (6-8), but anything that lasts 20, is starting to push my boundaries. Ill easily play a 20 hour game if I'm truly loving it, but If I'm just feeling ...meh.... I won't even come close to that 20 hour mark.

The very rare occasions, like zelda games, I'll stick it out no matter how long it is. Breath of the wilds " side quests" didn't really feel like side quests or grinding(referring to shrines). The whole game flowed very smoothly and both times I've played it, I put it 50-60 hours each and didn't have a dull moment, or want it to end, which is unusual for me.

Even when i absolutely love some games, that doesn't mean i want it to keep going. My most recent example was resident evil 4 which i beat the other day. It was phenomenal, and extremely suspenseful. On the other hand, around the 12 hour Mark, I was anxiously awaiting the credits. I felt like the end was dragging on just a tad bit. But again, that doesn't mean i didn't like it, I felt like it was a solid 9/10. The end just felt repetitive is all.

Long Winded answer, i know...
But games are perfectly fine being in the 10-15hour Mark for me, and that's at full price, although that may be in the minority.

@EOTW Absolutely agree. I feel most people, regardless of whether they realise it or not, are willing to forgive technical details like pacing and filler if the core loop is compelling to them enough. I've always found JRPGs to be really tedious and I've rarely been able to attribute that to anything other than me just not liking the core gameplay loop. I find titles like Bravely Default to be clear products of love and undoubtedly well-made but I just don't like the core gameplay loop enough to stick it out. I adore the soundtrack and the presentation but never manage to finish it. On the other end of the spectrum, I find Diablo 3 to be a deeply flawed game but I have sunk countless hours into it, as well as titles like Torchlight or Grim Dawn because I love the core gameplay loop of ARPGs.

It's also why multiplayer games have such high average play times even though they theoretically have minimal content (it'd take me an afternoon to play one round of Overwatch with every character, try every game mode once, and see everything there is to see). They are built pretty much entirely around a compelling gameplay loop and a player's investment in using player psychology and mechanical ability as a barometer for success rather than the completion of quests or acquisition of abilities.

It depends an awful lot on the genre and the quality of the game.

A 2D Mario platformer taking 300 hours to complete the regular game (not completionist), would be frankly weird.

But if the Witcher 3 had been extended to be 300 hours long, I probably would've been fine with that.

@NintendoByNature Resident Evil 4 is an interesting case. I've maintained for years that the game is really strong up to a specific point and then it changes drastically. I thought the game dragged in the later stages. I don't know if the good stuff is half the game or some other amount. Unlike you, I came away with a more negative view of the game overall because of how the game changes. It felt like a letdown to me for a game with such a strong reputation. Obviously, it doesn't hurt the game as much for you as it did for me, and that's totally fine. I'm not taking any issue with your opinion of the game. But I just wanted to say that I noticed a shift somewhere in the middle of the game and can understand what you mean about that.

@sdelfin I hear you, and that's all completely fair. For me, i wouldn't say the game changed at some point..i feel like it just stayed the same throughout and that was my (very slight issue). Could you be referring to the shift from village to castle to island? Either way, I get it, its it's probably not for everyone. The first time I played it, back on launch day on the GameCube, i wasn't craZy about it. For some reason that changed today. Whats also interesting is that I loved REmake on GameCube, and dislike it today. So who knows lol.

A game like The Witcher III and Skyrim (basically, the big RPG type games) i'm fine with the length as the content is varied, the quests don't feel like they are padding out the game and they feel like they are incorporated into the game (especially Witcher, miss a quest you could ultimately not get the experience you're after)

They're all too long. Go outside and get some sun!