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In an era where games can take hundreds of hours to complete, is bigger always better? We're counting down 10 phenomenal games that, despite their greatness, suffer from being excessively long and padded.
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00:00Over the many, many decades video games have existed, they haven't changed just in terms of
00:05visual fidelity and mechanics. It's not just the things that made up a game like Pong and the
00:10things that make up the gargantuan effort that is Death Stranding 2. It's also something that
00:15needs to be thought about in terms of length. What used to be a game that you'd knock over
00:20as long as you could keep your quarter alive in an arcade is now a game that could take up
00:25an
00:26entire week or a month or a year. When it comes to modern marketing, games don't just show off the
00:32graphics and gameplay but also the length. They illustrate to you that you will get solid bang for
00:37your buck. The downside of this is when the main campaign itself is so very enormous that even if
00:42you just focus on what needs to get done, it's kind of a slog. What's worse is when a game
00:47in question
00:48seems to be tying up every loose end before it throws in a whole new plot or antagonist which
00:54pads it out even further. The 10 entries I've got for you on this list are all phenomenal but they
00:59may have been even better if they were a little shorter or a lot shorter. Your opinions will
01:05definitely vary so let me know what you reckon down in the comments. I'm Jess from WhatCulture and here
01:10are 10 great video games that are way too long. Number 10. Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth. After 20 years
01:17and almost 20 games, you'd be forgiven for thinking like a dragon or rather Yakuza of course as it was
01:23might be running out of steam. But considering the most recent installment Infinite Wealth is among the
01:28few games to receive a perfect score from Famitsu, the wacky mob saga is looking to be stronger than
01:34ever. And that's kind of ironic since the latest entry suffers from a shameless amount of bloat. I
01:40will say this one is defeating me so far but it's still on the list. From beginning to end the
01:45game is
01:45filled with overly long cut scenes and drawn out exposition. You can skip those sections but you will
01:51miss out on integral plot points. There's also the issue with if you enjoy the story segments and
01:56I do, there's still just so much side content that if you happen to also be cursed with being a
02:02completionist, you're going to be at it for a long time. As can be expected from Like a Dragon,
02:07Infinite Wealth has a bunch of mini-games, side quests including treasure hunts, photo missions and
02:11delivery tasks. And although similar bonus features appear in previous installments,
02:16they're usually for hardcore players since they take hours to accomplish. However, several mini-games
02:21here tie directly to the central characters, compelling you to take part in them if you want
02:25to get the full experience. Also, the random encounters become disproportionately tough later
02:31on so you kind of need to grind if you don't want to take part in the so-called voluntary
02:35missions.
02:36Like a Dragon, Infinite Wealth is superb but some could say that the way it artificially
02:41pads out its length is kind of annoying. Number 9, Assassin's Creed Valhalla. When it comes to
02:47Assassin's Creed, purists are expecting a sprawling adventure they can get lost in for hours on end.
02:53That said, if you do this one pretty tight, Valhalla is still going to take you 60 hours to finish,
02:58which is about 15 hours longer than Odyssey if you played that one real tight. I don't know what
03:02that's like. I did actually manage to finish Valhalla but it took me so very many sittings and
03:07I think a couple hundred hours. So this one's going to eat up your life if you want to hit
03:12the
03:12end credits. Of course, that's not a problem if all the content feels fresh and diverse.
03:18Unfortunately, many of the chapters follow the same structure. Our Viking hero arrives in a new
03:23land, befriends the locals, uncovers a plot and resolves it before moving on. While forming alliances,
03:29it sometimes feels like you're filling out a checklist rather than taking part in a viscerally
03:34emotional story. It is worth mentioning that this repetition wouldn't be so noticeable if Valhalla
03:39wasn't the 12th main entry in the series. Since AC veterans have infiltrated camps, parkoured up
03:45buildings and tagged enemies countless times before, it's odd how Ubisoft thought to pack this
03:50installment with more of the same content than ever. While people definitely want bang for their
03:55buck and an abundance of material isn't in essence a bad thing, there's an argument that they
04:00went a little too far with Valhalla. Number 8. The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker
04:04It's odd how Wind Waker is considered too long considering it is among the shortest Legend of
04:10Zelda games. But even Zelda lovers can't deny that there are certainly points where Wind Waker drags,
04:16especially during the Triforce quest. To obtain the Triforce piece, Link needs to collect eight
04:21Triforce charts scattered across the Great Sea and then have them deciphered by Tingle for a hefty fee.
04:27After they're decoded, Link needs to sail to eight separate locations to dig up the Triforce shards.
04:33The mission feels tedious because it forces you to grind for rupees and repeatedly sail across the
04:39entire ocean. Speaking of sailing, there is so very much sailing and yes, the cell shaded waves do look
04:46beautiful, but sometimes you hit 10 minute stretches where you're just going from place to place and
04:51nothing is happening. Fortunately, Nintendo took these complaints into account when they were working
04:56on the remaster. In Wind Waker HD, there are only three Triforce charts instead of eight. So the
05:02quest is definitely less laborious. And on top of that, Link can obtain the swift sail, allowing him
05:07to zip through the sea much faster. Wind Waker isn't a gargantuan game, but fans appreciated how the
05:13developers did decide to condense the irritating elements for the re-release. Number 7. Dragon Age
05:18Inquisition If you're a casual gamer who wants to enjoy a big blockbuster AAA experience that may have a lot
05:25of side content, you may want to ignore that side content. I don't know how to do that, but you
05:30can
05:30if you really want to, and you should be able to. Although you might miss out on a couple of
05:34cool
05:34collectibles, this mentality can shave off hours of needless playtime if you've got a busy schedule.
05:40However, there are certain titles that encourage players to take part in quests that aren't meant
05:45to be mandatory. That brings us to Dragon Age Inquisition. In Mike Laidlaw's fantasy sequel,
05:50you need to use power points to unlock areas and story missions. Of course, accessing compulsory
05:56missions later in the game costs a pretty penny, pushing players to explore the world if they want
06:01to obtain more power. This system means that you need to do additional missions in order to advance
06:06the plot, so those optional bits and pieces just turned into less optional bits and pieces.
06:12This wouldn't be so bad if there was a narrative payoff, but these gratuitous excursions serve no
06:17real purpose except to farm resources or power. These jaunts are lazily put together and repetitive
06:23since they usually involve fetching items, gathering items, or killing a certain number of enemies,
06:29often with little character interaction or story depth.
06:32Number six, Ring Fit Adventure. Millions of people are in debt to Ring Fit Adventure,
06:37either because it came out around the time of COVID so they could work out at home while the gyms
06:41were closed. Or like me, they would never set foot in a gym. I mean, do I look like I've
06:46been to the
06:46gym? But have played Ring Fit Adventure. And that game, it is too long. It's too long. I said it.
06:52Let me know what you think in the comment. The Exegame offered a variety of physical activities and
06:56incorporated them into the story seamlessly. Also, the motion sensors were pretty much perfect,
07:02which made the gameplay accessible and fun. And when they weren't, it made Jessica break a controller.
07:08That said, there are times where it's hard not to hate the game.
07:12Ring Fit Adventure contains a whopping 23 worlds and over 100 levels. That is not including the
07:18New Game Plus or New Game Plus Plus. On numerous occasions, you get stonewalled in mid-level until
07:24you backtrack to another area and achieve a specific objective. Also, nearly every world has the same
07:29boss. And although his combat style changes a little bit, it's just not enough variety to keep
07:34this engaging. And as I'm saying this, I understand I'm complaining about exercising, but it is a game.
07:39So, qualifies for the list. Most importantly, Ring Fit Adventure isn't a game you can power
07:44through. You'll work up such a sweat, you'll be incentivized to call it quits after an hour at the
07:50longest and might not have the energy to come back for it for a few days. If you have my
07:55stamina.
07:55As a result, it takes ages to win Ring Fit Adventure unless you put it on the easiest mode possible.
08:00You may find yourself so very done with it all by the time you reach the last few worlds that
08:05you
08:05might find the experience as dreary as conventional exercise. Bummer.
08:10Number 5. Divinity Original Sin 2
08:13Though Divinity Original Sin was a huge success and everybody loved Baldur's Gate 3, I would argue
08:18that Divinity Original Sin 2 is really where Larian shines. The crowdfunded project won Play Is Over
08:24with its complex but flexible battle system, fleshed out backstories, and rich storytelling.
08:30It also offered an unparalleled level of freedom and rewarded players for experimenting and exploring.
08:36As such, Original Sin 2 wasn't just a great follow-up, it's one of the best titles in the genre
08:41over the
08:42last decade. Or ever. Having said that, boy is this game long, and if you played any game from Larian
08:47Studios, you're probably expecting this. Even if you decide to mainline it and do it as tight as
08:53possible, you're looking at 60 hours minimum. Although you can skip the exposition, you'll miss
08:59out on the fascinating lore, urging you to really listen to the many dialogue-heavy scenes. Some of
09:05the battles can also be incredibly lengthy, especially if you're playing on the higher difficulties,
09:10or you realize you messed it up at the beginning halfway through and you just need to go all the
09:15way back and try again. Several missions in Act 3 and 4 also rely on your party revisiting multiple
09:20areas, which quickly grows infuriating. Not only that, it's easy to get lost in this massive world,
09:26so that's going to add a few more hours on top of what you may have been hoping was a
09:31shorter runtime.
09:32Probably not the right genre for it, if you want a quick time, but a very good game.
09:36Number 4, Xenoblade Chronicles 2. If there's one genre that's likely to suffer from excess,
09:42it's role-playing games, as we just talked about. But Xenoblade Chronicles 2 dodges most of the
09:48trappings we've come to expect. Although Monolith Soft's luscious sequel contains fetch quests,
09:53long cutscenes, and extended battles, it does get away with it for the most part,
09:58since these elements remain consistently fun and dynamic. If there's one section of the game,
10:03though, that does not remain consistently fun and dynamic, it is the never-ending tutorial.
10:08Even though Twilight Princess got shredded for its over-explained prologue,
10:13it was straight to the point compared to Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Rather than introducing core
10:18systems early, the game drip-feeds mechanics for hours on end. Just as you feel like you've learned
10:24everything the game could possibly need to tell you, it drops another gameplay mechanic that you
10:28need to learn about. What's worse is these guides aren't comprehensive, which makes it challenging
10:33for newcomers to grasp fundamental rules until later in the game. As a result, you'll probably find
10:39yourself learning basic and essential attacks and combos up until the 20-hour mark. If the
10:45instructions were clear and succinct, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 wouldn't just be needlessly long,
10:50it'd be significantly less frustrating.
10:52Number 3. Metal Gear Solid V – The Phantom Pain
10:55Even though The Phantom Pain was deservingly praised for things like its stealth systems and
11:00interesting gameplay mechanics, there's no denying that it definitely suffers from a bit of bloat.
11:05The bulk of the main campaign consists of over 30 story missions, which can take 40-50 hours to
11:11complete. But when players realise these missions only make up Chapter 1, they safely assume that
11:17Chapter 2 will escalate the narrative. Instead, Chapter 2 recycles previous missions with harder
11:23modifiers. Although the chapter feels a bit like a bonus mode, it needs to be beaten to access
11:28pivotal story content, including the true ending. Look, it was acceptable when Super Mario Brothers
11:34pulled the play-the-whole-game-again-on-hard-mode stunt in 1985, but this is the 21st century for
11:40crying out loud. Considering Metal Gear Solid is Konami's biggest property, it's kind of insulting
11:45that the company stooped so low. Chapter 2 isn't as long, which is kind of a good thing, but as
11:50you
11:50can imagine, if you haven't played it yourself, it's not exactly that fun to just repeat the same
11:55missions in a slightly different way. Chapter 1 is so long, they probably could have added a few
12:01missions to close several character arcs and discarded Chapter 2 entirely.
12:05Number 2. Persona 5. Persona 5 isn't just a great turn-based title, but a cultural milestone that fuses
12:13deep gameplay, breathtaking art, and thought-provoking social commentary. JRPGs aren't for everyone,
12:20but P-Studio's magnum opus is so very accessible, it really does open up the genre to people who may
12:26not have checked it out, and you would absolutely be rewarded for it. It was actually my first JRPG,
12:31and now I'm completely in love. That said, finishing the game is a different story altogether.
12:36Rather than taking 25 to 40 hours to complete like the average RPG, Persona 5's main campaign
12:43clocks in at 100 plus hours. If you skip cutscenes, ignore side quests, and zoom through the avalanche of
12:50dialogue, you'll still be playing this thing for like 80 hours. You may find the dungeon crawling
12:55eventually grow tiresome, which will encourage you to focus on the life sim sections. Though an
13:00argument could be made, and I have to say that because I don't agree with this, but it does fall
13:04into an inevitable rhythm, according to the dear writer of this list who is not me, which can make it
13:11feel kind of repetitive and like you're just doing it to boost stats and not to form relationships.
13:16Which is crazy, because why wouldn't you hang out with these beautiful people?
13:19Players also have several in-game days to complete each palace or dungeon. After defeating the palace,
13:26you have to wait until the time limit expires, which can tack on an hour or two per dungeon.
13:31Allowing players to skip to the next phase when the previous palace is completed would have been an
13:35easy way to shorten the main campaign without compromising the story.
13:381. Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
13:43Everybody wanted the long-gestating Final Fantasy VII Remake to be bigger than ever,
13:49fleshing out every aspect that made its predecessors special. But rather than recreating the 1997 game
13:55in a single title, Square decided to make it a trilogy. Although players initially assumed the 2020
14:01reboot would serve as a modern recreation of the original, Final Fantasy VII Remake only retells the first
14:08third of the original game. To be fair, some Final Fantasy purists were ecstatic at the prospect of
14:14re-experiencing the masterpiece in not one but three titles, with tons of added subplots, deeper
14:21relationships and expanded lore. But at the same time, it was cheeky for Square to ask players to pay
14:27triple the price for a reiteration of a PS1 game. The worst part, and even some fans have come out
14:34to say this,
14:34is that Rebirth and Remake are clearly packed with so much additional content that's not really adding
14:39much except for bloat. It's sort of clear this could have worked as one compact game.
14:45That way, the main campaign could have been a sizeable 60 hours, while still maintaining the emotional
14:51beats and tight storytelling of the classic version. Sadly, greed seems to have cost the studio greatly,
14:57since Rebirth only sold half as much as Remake, indicating potential customers weren't keen on
15:02the iconic game being split apart. Even if Final Fantasy VII's closing chapter gets rave reviews,
15:09and hopefully it does and it turns out to be absolutely worth it,
15:12the whole trilogy is sort of a textbook example of quantity over quality.
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