I Like Short Games

General and high profile video game topics.
CaptainCruch
Posts: 662
Joined: July 17th, 2015, 11:26 am

I Like Short Games

Postby CaptainCruch » July 20th, 2017, 3:58 am

Many games nowadays tend to be 20+ to 40+ hours to complete - even without unlockables. I don't like that, since I actually like to finish my games (at least the main story, I usually do not bother about unlockables). So I admit, I like my games that aren't too long - more like 6-8+ hours. I feel more statisfied when I actually finish the main story, and that's more possible with such lengths. I guess I usually don't play RPGs because of this. Does anyone feels the same?

User avatar
Atarifever
Posts: 461
Joined: April 12th, 2015, 5:55 am

Re: I Like Short Games

Postby Atarifever » July 20th, 2017, 5:58 am

I'm in this boat too. Last night I started some cheap looking game I got with PS+ called "Blood Knights" or something. It looks like an iPad game. The reason I started it was that it looked like something I could finish in a few hours. I don't have the time to finish even a 15 hour game anymore.

User avatar
Retro STrife
Posts: 2532
Joined: August 3rd, 2015, 7:40 pm

Re: I Like Short Games

Postby Retro STrife » July 20th, 2017, 8:53 am

I share the same feeling. Maybe this is surprising, but my guess is that we're probably in the majority. At least among adult gamers. Few adults with real lives have 40+ hours to dedicate to a game. At the same time, some genres (especially RPGs) just aren't conducive to a 6 hour game -- still, Panzer Dragoon Saga is one of the best ever and takes around 20 hours.. perfect RPG length. I love RPGs but can't play them anymore due to the unnecessary 40, 60, and 100+ hour lengths.

My theory on why most games run excessively long?: Blame the game critics. Developers know how vital their Metacritic aggregate score is to the sales and financial success of their game. Get a 90+ and you're almost assured to have tons of sales. However, you are absolutely taking a hit on your scores if you make a 6-8 hour game in the $60 bracket...unless you have tons of compelling multiplayer or bonus features to make up for it. At 12 hours, you might even take a hit. Game critics just love to dock games that are "too short", even if the gaming public is more than happy with the length. It's an easy complaint for them. Stretch your game out to 15-20 hours and you avoid that problem entirely. Better reviews = better sales.

User avatar
Atarifever
Posts: 461
Joined: April 12th, 2015, 5:55 am

Re: I Like Short Games

Postby Atarifever » July 20th, 2017, 5:04 pm

Retro STrife wrote:My theory on why most games run excessively long?: Blame the game critics. Developers know how vital their Metacritic aggregate score is to the sales and financial success of their game. Get a 90+ and you're almost assured to have tons of sales. However, you are absolutely taking a hit on your scores if you make a 6-8 hour game in the $60 bracket...unless you have tons of compelling multiplayer or bonus features to make up for it. At 12 hours, you might even take a hit. Game critics just love to dock games that are "too short", even if the gaming public is more than happy with the length. It's an easy complaint for them. Stretch your game out to 15-20 hours and you avoid that problem entirely. Better reviews = better sales.

I like that theory. It can also account for many COD sales and much of its success I think. The online makes up for the short length with reviewers, but I've seen tons of people online say all they ever play is the campaign, and maybe some offline zombie modes or something, and some of their campaigns are very short. People get a short, spectacle-filled campaign, and reviewers don't dock it because of the suite of online features. Not that a ton of people don't play online, but it also caters to the kinds of people with no time for mch more than a short campaign and very brief online stints.

User avatar
VideoGameCritic
Site Admin
Posts: 18108
Joined: April 1st, 2015, 7:23 pm

Re: I Like Short Games

Postby VideoGameCritic » July 20th, 2017, 5:17 pm

I'm in the same boat as you guys. Some of us have to do this crazy thing called "work", right?
5-10 hours is plenty long for a game. If a game is taking more that 10 hours I'm going to post my review and move on.

I think a lot of the critics out there are not in touch with the mindset of the typical gamer.
That's why I think (and hope) that while my reviews may be less comprehensive, they offer better insightful.

goldenband
Posts: 766
Joined: April 8th, 2015, 10:29 pm

Re: I Like Short Games

Postby goldenband » July 20th, 2017, 5:23 pm

I'll go one step further and say I really appreciate games that are under 20 minutes long, but are tough as nails to compensate for their brevity. Marble Madness is one example (can be beaten in under 5 minutes!), Pitfall another, and Shadow of the Beast a third.

I don't mind having to "try and try again" as long as I haven't wasted much time on any given attempt, and can bail anytime I need to do something else without losing hours of progress.

User avatar
Rev
Posts: 1487
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:31 pm

Re: I Like Short Games

Postby Rev » July 20th, 2017, 6:41 pm

While I have played plenty of long games in my time, I have found that I prefer shorter games. I like games that can be completed in 2-5 hours or that offer the full experience in a shorter time frame but you can work towards improving those times by speed running or something else. I also like games that offer a ton of modes or challenges while offering short bursts of gameplay. For example, I've been playing Worms W.M.D. and each stage isn't that long (around 20 mins or less each) but they are just scenarios and the game is mainly played for multiplayer with your friends.

GTS
Posts: 232
Joined: January 29th, 2017, 2:43 pm

Re: I Like Short Games

Postby GTS » July 20th, 2017, 9:10 pm

Saying "Few adults with real lives have 40+ hours to dedicate to a game" is denigrating. Am I supposed to feel guilty because I play many, many games that have taken 80+ hours of time? I don't, and I also have a job and probably work as many hours as you guys. Perhaps I know how to manage my time better. Think of all the other lengthy behaviors people engage in, such as time online, time staring at their phones, time binge-watching TV shows. Just because someone chooses gaming over those other things doesn't mean they have no life. People need to stop feeling guilty about playing video games, and stop shaming others that do.

User avatar
Atarifever
Posts: 461
Joined: April 12th, 2015, 5:55 am

Re: I Like Short Games

Postby Atarifever » July 20th, 2017, 9:47 pm

GTS wrote: Perhaps I know how to manage my time better. Think of all the other lengthy behaviors people engage in, such as time online, time staring at their phones, time binge-watching TV shows.

Sorry if you feel shamed, and the idea people "should stop feeling guilty about gaming" is one I can get behind. On the other hand, I volunteer as a Church Treasurer, Sunday school teacher, Beaver Scout leader, Cub Scout Leader, board member of an Autism Society, President of an Autism Support Group, Library Board Member, Outreach Committee Chair, and Shop Stewart, in addition to raising two kids (one with special needs) and a full time job. I think I time manage pretty well. :) In addition, over a year ago I got rid of my smartphone because I thought I wasted too much time on it and now have a simple flip phone provided by my work. My two main "hobby" time sinks are videogames and going to the gym (every single day), so I tend not to feel guilty about the time I spend at games. I just don't care to spend 20+ hours of it on any one game. Much like binge watching TV, it makes me feel stretched too thin to spend that much time at just one thing.

bluenote
Posts: 290
Joined: August 14th, 2015, 5:16 pm

Re: I Like Short Games

Postby bluenote » July 21st, 2017, 9:03 am

I am 42, married with 2 kids and a full time job. Basically, my free time is after the kids go to bed at 8:00 or so. However, some nights I'm spending time with my wife, or playing guitar or playing tennis (or hockey in the winter), etc. And, some nights I just don't have the energy to play a game. Suffice to say, it takes me a long time to get through a game. I started playing Ratchet and Clank - A Crack in Time back in late May, and I still haven't finished it! Mind you, it's summer, so I've not been inclined to sit in the basement on nice summer evenings.

This is fine with me though. I don't buy a ton of games, and I have a very modest collection.

I did recently buy Earthbound though and this was going to be my summer game. (I've never played it). I'll be starting it as soon as I finish Ratchet and Clank. Earthbound will be probably take me to Christmas! I think it's probably a 40+ hour game.


Return to “Video Games General”