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[gelf]

My taste in games helps as I play relatively few big open world games as they are largely boring to me. That aside even in a busy period full of games I do like I don't feel the need to play all of them, especially not at release. Technically I have a backlog going back decades of stuff I have an interest in but haven't got round to playing. But its not something to stress over, I just play a couple of games at a time at most and see what I feel like next when I'm done with them. Don't treat these things as a chore, your supposed be playing for leisure.

It's okay not to play everything at once, maybe there will be a barren period for games you like in future, and all these spare games you didn't get round to yet will come in handy.

 

[Roshin]

Have a good time and stop trying to finish everything?

 

[Necron]

Very simple... I don't!

Well, technically I do but just extremely slowly and it feels stupid to own the games before I'm actually able to play them. I'm playing Horizon: Zero Dawn now before moving onto Final Fantasy XV (finally) and Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Afterwards, I will have open-world syndrome and need to play Superhot, Life is Strange or something similar that is completely linear.

My only advice: focus on one at a time.

Takes me forever to finish games. Started Witcher 3 just under 2 months ago. I'm about 80 hours in, and I'm only up to lvl 20 main story missions. Haven't even started the expansions. I think I'm going to be playing this for the rest of the year.

But I love a good long game as long as the content is good.

Yeah, Witcher 3 is still a great example of world-building. I felt completely in tune with Geralt's story despite the gameplay only being adequate. I just loved the cutscenes, music, characters and environment so much. It can easily take people 150 hours to see all of Witcher 3 (incl. expansions). You're in for a great game, though.

 

[EdgeXL]

What happened to the days of 8-12 hour games you could beat in a week or two leisurely?

People bitched that games were too short.

This is one reason why I look forward to the day when WiFi and battery technologies advance to the point that Play Anywhere and similar features let us play our console games on mobile devices.

 

[Dragon1893]

Persona 5, unless you want to choose your own waifu just watch the let's play because it's basicly just reading the combats is not that interesting.
Life is Strange before the storm, meh each ep actually is average of 3-4 hours so easely done during an afternoon but again it's like Persona 5, the ending is linear and gameplay isn't that fun. So just watch on youtube.

Other games have the gameplay to make it fun and might want you to take more your times with them but these 2 ? If you don't have time just watch them as a tv serie you won't miss much in term of gameplay.

I'm not even going to bother with the watching equals playing argument anymore, but how exactly do you save time by watching someone else play through the whole thing?

 

[Oberon]

I only get like one game a year. Games stopped being worth their time. It has to be REALLY good for me to care because I can instead just play some quick matches of Overwatch instead. The last game I got and captivated me was Breath of the wild, and even that I couldn't finish. And after that game came out I have no game to look forward now. I'll ger Mario odysee when I'll get a switch eventually so that can wait.

 

[Magnus]

Yep. Getting really tired of massive games that always seem to tend to greater volume and more dips in quality throughout. Bigger is not always better. I don't give two shits about half of Hyrule. I barely get anything done in every 30 minute play session... This applies to most AAA console games these days that I'm usually itching to play. I've put 50 hours into Breath of the Wild since it launched and have only cleared 1 of the 4 main dungeons and still feel weak, haha.

It's kind of why I dig games like Overwatch and Hearthstone. I can get some real fun in a realistic timeframe before needing to bail back to real life.

 

[Bulbasaur]

OP I tried too, but I'm not finishing them either so I'm pretty much done with AAA. My OCD pains me when I feel like im bypassing content just to reach the endgame and I simply cant devote the time required. Thank God for indies though! Those much smaller and often more creative experiences still allow me to engage in my favorite pastime.

 

[Crayolan]

I'm in no rush to complete any specific game. If I'm really enjoying it, I probably won't want it to end.

Take your time and enjoy each individual game, don't think that you need to hurry and finish game x just so you can start game y.

 

[c0Zm1c]

There's only three, maybe four games on that list that really interest me, so I would rather they be longer than short.

 

[TaterTots]

I don't finish them, which is why I've become more picky about what I purchase. I even felt like DOOM overstayed its welcome by a couple of hours or so. Its why I enjoy MP games more now. I can just load RL or PUBG and play a few rounds and get on with life.

 

[norm9]

It's kind of why I dig games like Overwatch and Hearthstone. I can get some real fun in a realistic timeframe before needing to bail back to real life.

I do this too, but with Friday the 13th and a few races in FH3 or Forza instead.

The ideal single player game time for me is the length of COD4 Modern Warfare's campaign. No filler, all killer.

 

[Opa-Pa]

I mean, you're complaining in a year that's been particularly big in RPGs, what can be done? These games are like that, and their fans like them that way.

You're not forced to play every big game, and if length seriously bothers you that much you could always play indies instead.

I always play these big ones one at a time, with a smaller game on the side (mosrly handheld ones), so it's not an issue.

And anyway, when most are 7 hours long at best, people complain that's a terrible length for the $60 they're playing, so you can't really please everyone.

 

[Ogodei]

Sacrificing non-gaming hobbies. I used to translate Japanese fan-comics as a minor side-hustle and do some creative writing, as well as watching shows on Netflix (started Flash Season 3 and Better Call Saul, but haven't touched either in half a year or more) but i've done very little of both in 2017 because Breath of the Wild was followed by Mario Kart, ARMS, and Splatoon 2, all of which have been massive time-sinks.

That's why i'm kind of looking forward to Metroid next week aside from it being Metroid. A more compact game that i can put down more easily and not lose my evenings or weekend afternoons.

 

[SprachBrooks]

For me, if the game is fun I’m okay investing a long time in it. I loved The Witcher 3 and FFXII because I felt the content was streamlined and worthwhile. A lot of the other games are full of bullshit designed to pad the game out; it becomes a slog to play and all motivation to continue is lost because it’s just not fun.

EDIT: I’m really curious with those that just play the games but never complete them. My OCD means if I play a game long enough I have to see it through to the credits. It’s why I’m really selective with my games and only pick what I’m really confident I’ll enjoy.

 

[Dural]

I feel the same way about these long ass games, short and sweet like TF2 is how I like it these days. With three kids and a full time+ job it's difficult to play anything long (plus I just get bored with a lot of them anymore). My most recent game, Doom, I feel has worn out it's welcome. I was thinking I was getting close to finishing it and it looks like I'm only half way through. Probably gonna just drop the difficulty down to easy to finish.

 

[Rellik]

I feel like they've now conditioned me to a point where I find a game under 40 hours to be too short.

 

[DarkConfidant]

Persona 5 has destroyed my ability to play a lot of other large games. I'm over 100 hours in and still haven't finished it. If I start another game I might not make it.


Also open world games have so much filler you don't know which content to play and what to ignore.
I would have done significantly less shrines in Zelda if I knew then what I know now.

 

[norm9]

EDIT: I’m really curious with those that just play the games but never complete them. My OCD means if I play a game long enough I have to see it through to the credits. It’s why I’m really selective with my games and only pick what I’m really confident I’ll enjoy.

I have more money than sense.

I feel the same way about these long ass games, short and sweet like TF2 is how I like it these days. With three kids and a full time+ job it's difficult to play anything long (plus I just get bored with a lot of them anymore). My most recent game, Doom, I feel has worn out it's welcome. I was thinking I was getting close to finishing it and it looks like I'm only half way through. Probably gonna just drop the difficulty down to easy to finish.

I played on easy. Finished in two days. Very fun feeling like a badass doomguy.

 

[sw26]

This problem is much worse if, like me, you are something of a completionist and like to at least try to make an effort to get trophies.

My solution is to accept I won't play 'everything' and buy only games I'm really interested in. The curation part of that is actually quite enjoyable to me.

 

[Strike]

I just focus on one at a time.

 

[Duchess O'Death]

as for Uncharted, that's the thing--it's a side story that would've been 6-8 hours a few years ago, but on its own it's longer than Uncharted 1 and roughly the length of Uncharted 2 despite being 2/3rds the price at launch.

TLL is 6 hours though. It's nowhere near the length of UC2.

 

[brawly]

Most of those aren't actually long. Just bloated with time-sinks like collectibles.

Why make Nier Automata an awesome linear action game like the opening mission when you can instead greet the player with mandatory fetch quests and make him travers through empty wastelands. What's not to love.

This is the one I dropped the fastest.

 

[Grady]

I don't finish any of them, and I agree about to many game being similar in length and design. Still have nioh, Yakuza, nier to beat after beating zero dawn, and I just picked up Destiny. I'll never finish them and will be very careful what I buy down the road when it comes to open world games.

 

[HylianTom]

I play maybe two or three headliner-tier games per year. Between those, I play smaller and indie games. It's a pattern that has served me well for years.

 

[UpperCaseN]

1 game at a time and don't buy new ones until you're ready to play them. They'll be much cheaper by the time you get to them too

 

[Persona7]

My life would be so much easier if everything was on the Switch.

Yikes. I can't think of a worse nightmare.

 

[zeemumu]

1 major game broken up with other stuff or some multiplayer-heavy games

 

[rackham]

just play overwatch

 

[kingbean]

I almost never finish games. I just play them until I no longer feel the need to continue.

 

[Pilgrimzero]

I'm finding it hard to go back and continue Persona 5.

I'm past the first castle

 

[Speely]

More folks should play Hellblade. AAA production values, shorter game.

 

[BassForever]

Stop getting distracted by social media and message boards and muscle through. Thats my biggest issue with not beating more games.

 

[jett]

You know what, I kinda appreciated Titanfall 2's 4-hour campaign. Maybe it's old age.

 

[entremet]

Indies help.

 

[brawly]

I'm finding it hard to go back and continue Persona 5.

I'm past the first castle

It's just more of the same. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you're fatigued now it won't get better.

 

[Crowh]

To think that i beat Persona 5 three times (and plat the game) in almost 2 months...yeah fun game...

 

[Jawmuncher]

Don't sink yourself into the side content and a lot of the games become far more manageable

 

[watdaeff4]

People bitched that games were too short.
.

This. And reviewers would knock games for being "too short"

To this day many still feel like games costing $60 should last longer than (arbitrary number) 20-30 hours.

Meanwhile many people have no problem dropping that much or more for a 3 hour sporting event or two hour dinner

It's all relative

 

[Autoignition]

My relationship with games has pretty much always been dictated by my ADHD, so I never really notice a game's length, tbh. If it sucks me in, it sucks me in, and I'll binge that shit until it's done. If it doesn't, then I'll be lucky to get 5 hours in before I dump it. But because I accept that this is a foible of a mental illness, I never get upset if I don't finish a game. I just figure it wasn't meant to be and trade it in in hopes that I get something that does grab me. And also because of this, I've never been in a position where I've been playing multiple games at once. I pick up a game and play it until it's done. I can't multitask/juggle games.

 

[ODDI]

Tackling them one at a time I say.

 

[prag16]

When I was in my teens I had all the time in the world as a kid and no money to buy the huge games and consoles I wanted.

Now I'm older and I have the money to buy all the games and consoles I wanted and no time to play them because of work and other responsibilities.

The gods are cruel.

It's like the reverse that old Twilight Zone about the dude who wants to read tons of books but has no time, then he's the sole survivor of a nuclear holocaust or something, and he's alone with all the limitless books. But then be accidentally breaks his glasses and can't see.

All I've really played this year are two-thirds of Horizon, completed Mass Effect Andromeda, several hours of PUBG, and half of UC lost legacy. Only additional game this year I can see myself making sufficient time for is Battlefront 2. Feels bad man. Between work, wife, kids, house, friends, family, etc, there just are not enough hours in the day. Except when I forego some sleep. That's the only way I've even gotten done as much as I have with above games.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

I agree and its hard when you are older. but yeah doing it one at a time is good.

I went from BotW to Witcher 3. Probably the craziest gaming time for me in a long time lol

Uncharted: LL was about the perfect length for me and I even took my sweet time with it.

 

[Ruddles72]

Couldn't agree more with the OP. Skipping Destiny 2 for exactly this reason, picked up the remaster of Bulletstorm last week instead, had a blast with it. Want more games like this please.

 

[pixelation]

I hear you... whenever there's a new game coming out and i learn that it's in the 10-12 hr range i jump for joy haha.

 

[humansarehorses]

I can handle a 30-hour game. It might take me a month or two, but I can finish them.

I'd much rather play short games with replay value, though. Furi has been outstanding for me. Beat the game in 6 hours, spent another 20 replaying on Furier, beating the DLC bosses and trying to get S-ranks in the boss fights.

 

[Pasedo]

Im in the same boat OP but I’m starting to realise it all comes down to how much you like the game. Don’t get sucked into marketing and hype. I’ve found many games others rate highly i very quickly lost interest. I thought it was time as well but I sunk 300 hours on botw. The game just hooked me in. I also maintained to finish a number of single player shooters because they resonated with me and kept me interested but unfortunately I gave up a quarter of the way with many others especially the hyped up ones. Find a game that naturally hooks you in from the start. Forget the name or how many stars IGN gave it. Don’t worry if it’s five years old. If it feels fun in the first 30 minutes you’re likely to finish playing it.

 

[akumu]

One game at a time, like many others said. It took me 2 months (on and off) to finish Horizon, but I enjoyed it more because I wasn't trying to rush through it.

I'm sure if you're willing (or your schedule permits), that you can play a steady number of hours per week and clear out big games like NIer and Yakuza in under a month.

Just make up reasons to not play games like UrbanRats and you won't have any trouble finishing a couple of games per year.

Truth lol.

 

[deadfolk]

I'm finding it hard to go back and continue Persona 5.

I'm past the first castle

Exactly the same here. And P4G is one of my GOATs.

 

[Brinbe]

I don't get it either. How do ppl have this time