Can a game be too long?

[RuralGamer]

Dragon Age: Origins - five hours less and it would have been good; preferably get rid of 5 hours of repetitive combat. Other than that, the only gripes I could possibly have about it were the dream sequence and the plot-clogging gameplay towards the end with all the excessive politics. I really liked the world they created and the stuff they put in it, but it was way to long for a traditional-style RPG.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

A penis that is too long can cause cervical bruising, one of the single most unpleasant experiences (I am told) that a woman can go through. Also, it can apparently be very uncomfortable. My female friends share too much sometimes.

Anywho.

I think a game could be too long, but I have yet to find one that is too long for me. I was raised on FFIX, so for me a sixty hour game is nothing. I still enjoy shorter games very much, but I've never gotten bored with one.

That said, it's just the old different strokes argument, some people will only play long games, some people prefer short games. If you're someone who plays and likes games with only six hour campaigns but endless replay value or a good multiplayer or whatever, there's nothing wrong with you, and for someone like that a 30 hour Mass Effect-a-thon would probably be boring and samey.

So yes, games can be too long for certain, just like games can be too short for certain people.

 

[ultrachicken]

A game can only be too long if its quality of gameplay isn't good enough to justify continuously coming back to it for long stretches of time.

 

[thedeathscythe]

Too long can be monotonous and repetitive. If the game keeps things fresh, and it's a very long game, then I think it can avoid being too long. Red Dead Redemption does a good job of avoiding being "too long" in my opinion.

 

[alinos]

For as much fun as it is, I would say Just Cause 2 is a little too long. If not long, then big. Way too massive. I believe I've played about 50 hours without even scratching the surface.

it's definetly not too long

it just has a lot to do much like collectiong 1 billion useless collectables it just has one billion destructables

as a game it can be finished rather quickly as story wise theres not alot too it

 

[Jonsbax]

Silent Hill 4: The Room

The story, setting atmosphere etc. were amazing, but the gameplay was shit, so the game being on the short side would have made the bad aspects more tolerable without hurting the things that made the game worth playing. The game also makes you play through most of the areas twice, and feels a bit thinly spread overall.

 

[LiftYourSkinnyFists]

Black Ops' cut scenes made their half an hour long campaign seem like FOREV!

I don't remember cut scenes...


MGS4, HL2, ME2 Oh and ME1 nearly forgot FF

 

[Dys]

A game, much like a penis, can be too long, but it's often something else that is criticized.

Farcry 2 is an example of a game that went too long. It was actually a good game, with some decent mission variation, but it dragged on, after a while the mission choice became irrelevant as all the missions had been done before, and so people hated it for repetition, completely unaware that by the time it became repetitive and tedious, they'd already played more than twice as many as some other 'good' games single player components.

 

[inFAMOUSCowZ]

Final Fantasy 13, my god I tried loving that game, but I just couldnt

Damn ninja'd

I quit like after fifty minutes of cut scenes...and 3 minutes of gameplay--aka the beginning of the game.

I went through to the end, never been so glad to beat a game. It had some really pretty cut scenes though, only good thing about the damn game.

OMG the final fantasy fan base is finally becoming self-aware. Maybe now you can let square forget about final fantasy and let them work on Deus Ex instead of the crappy MMO

Oh dont worry i was never a "Fan" of final fantasy. I mean I sorta liked the games, but they were nothing special.

 

[PureChaos]

i've never had a game that's too long, as long as it's interesting and fun i could keep going and going.

 

[jhlip]

The answer to that question is Elder Scrolls: Oblivion

How is oblivion long? Unless you are a completionist and want "100%" you can just plow through the mainquest since its enemy scaling.

I'm not a completionist and I agree with what you are saying. What I am saying is that the game encourages exploration and side quests over its main quest since the world is so massive. I guess what I am saying is that its one of those games people aren't just going to beat in 10 hours.

 

[Kingsnake661]

I can't really think of a game i considered TOO LONG to play. So long as a game is fun and engaging, i'll play it. If it's not, I stop. I've never been playing a really really good game, and, at some point though, "god, i wish this would end already...". And bad games, well, i stop playing them, and have no idea how long they are in the first place...

Now.. a good game can be too SHORT... i run into that all the time. (It's over already!?!)

My 2 cent.

 

[Cerzelo]

Really depends on the game, but yes.

I mean, I racked up over 400 days of playing time over multiple characters on WoW (I know its not exactly a game that "ends" per-say or have a defined amount of playing time) and it was fantastic, I have only recently deleted my account after years of playing, yet other games I feel like screaming JUST F*CKING FINISH ALREADY after 4 hours of playing because I am so bored of getting some guys mail because I need him to give me a key for another guy who won't tell me where anyother guy is....

 

[GonzoGamer]

For as much fun as it is, I would say Just Cause 2 is a little too long. If not long, then big. Way too massive. I believe I've played about 50 hours without even scratching the surface.

TOO big? I think it's perfect. It's really the only recent console game that gives you that sense of scale.

That's what I loved about the game as well. I like any game that gives you a lot to do after you've finished the main missions.
If a game is really good, there's no way it can be too long. GTA San Andreas just kept going and going but it was one of my favorite ps2 games so I never complained. I played that to 100%. Fallout 3 is a more recent example. The main story wasn't that long but you could explore the world for 100s of hours and I never got tired of that.

 

[Cowabungaa]

OT: There isn't one, for me. I enjoy long games, so games with 50-300 hours worth of play time are always nice.
Especially considering that most single player games nowadays are only between 6-15 hours of playing, which can get pretty annoying and wallet-damaging.

I do too, except when that 50-300 hours is filled with exactly the same boring crap. Long games are awesome, but quality first.

Example of how not to do it; Red Dead Redemption. Mexico added fairly little to character development (actually it screwed it up a lot) and the story. It didn't offer anything really exciting gameplay-wise and seemed to be there just to lengthen the playtime. In that case it's just a waste of my time.

 

[Wondermint13]

Hm...
Like many RPGs a game can be long because it expects you to level your parties to a certain standard and thats why your total play time ends up being 50-72 hours. But thats practically 90% of the gameplay when it comes to that sort of game.

But as far content and story is concerned, I wouldnt complain. Thats what we call 'getting your money's worth' where I'm from.
Bonus features and extra content is always a plus!

 

[GeorgW]

It can definitely be too padded. And actually yeah, they can be too long. I've complained about games being too long several times, but seem to be the only one. ME2 for example was too damn long. I was at 40 hours when I stopped playing and hadn't even gotten halfway into the story yet. I know I could have gotten through it quicker, but that's not the way I play games. And before you all flame me, I liked the game and will finish it. I just need a break cuz it's too damn long. But that's just me, I'm fickle.

I don't think I've ever heard someone complain about a game being too long. Too short, god yes, but never too long. (A bit like penis.)

My GF has complained that penises can be too long. I'm not bragging, just saying that you don't need it to be too long and it can get in the way. The more you know. *pling plong*

 

[GeorgW]

Hm...
Like many RPGs a game can be long because it expects you to level your parties to a certain standard and thats why your total play time ends up being 50-72 hours. But thats practically 90% of the gameplay when it comes to that sort of game.

But as far content and story is concerned, I wouldnt complain. Thats what we call 'getting your moneies worth' where I'm from.
Bonus features and extra content is always a plus!

50-72 hours?? I won't play a portable RPG if I won't get at least over 100 hours from it! But I take my time and like to explore.

 

[Wondermint13]

Hm...
Like many RPGs a game can be long because it expects you to level your parties to a certain standard and thats why your total play time ends up being 50-72 hours. But thats practically 90% of the gameplay when it comes to that sort of game.

50-72 hours?? I won't play a portable RPG if I won't get at least over 100 hours from it! But I take my time and like to explore.

Sorry Hypno Frog, I was simply appealing to the casual gamers. I think my old FF7 file still holds about 114 hours now.

 

[Celtic_Kerr]

I don't think I've ever heard someone complain about a game being too long. Too short, god yes, but never too long. (A bit like penis.) So, tell us in your honest opinion, what game(s) would you consider too long?

I personally think a game that is too long would be one with long stretches of game play between story.

It's a relative term for me. A 20 hour game can be too long for me if it's too dull. I think a game that was too long would simply be one that stretches on too long. One that makes you say "Dear GOD! I'm not done yet?"

The metal gear games are too long for me. I don't like games that are too cinematic. I just sit there going "Can I play now?"

In an objective term, a game where the main story takes about 60-70 hours to beat would be too long. I can see myself having fun for a long time with certain games, as long as the game keeps me interested