Developers are making RPGs way too long.

[Shimra]

Don't get me wrong, I love a good ole' RPG, in fact I may even say it's my favorite genre, but damn some are so long that they are nearly unbeatable unless the game is absolutely amazing beyond all belief. As of now I am giving up on Star Ocean 3, Dark Cloud 2, and Dragon Quest 8. They're all incredibly long rpgs. Don't get me wrong, they are fantastic games but they are just too long. I'm about 25 hours in Star Ocean 3 and know the terrible plot twist and the game is supposed to be 120 hours. Dear God that's long. Dark Cloud 2 I'm about 30 hours in and the dungeons are tedious. Dragon Quest 8 I'm about an hour into and figured I'd beat the other two before moving on and since that won't happen I'm in a conundrum. RPGs are my favorite genre but damn what happened to the gold old ones that were only like 20-35 hours and still great? Hell Chrono Trigger was only like 18 hours and it was amazing.

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

Who knows, maybe they want to compete with MMORPGS or something.

It is dumb, I'd rather have a short, well constructed RPG than a 100+ hour grindathon with sub-par repeating gameplay. There are of course exceptions: FF7, Neverwinter Nights, Morrowind, those games that I could play forever...but they have the quality.

Phew sleep time.

[phoenix1967]

KOTOR, KOTOR 2, and Jade Empire are all under 40 hours.

Fable, and Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance 1 and 2 are under 15.

[Tondog]

Well, at least RPGs are still long. Action games are getting shorter and shoter every day.

[Shimra]

KOTOR, KOTOR 2, and Jade Empire are all under 40 hours.

Fable, and Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance 1 and 2 are under 15.

Those are Western RPGs though. I should have stated that I meant JRPGs (highly story driven, character driven, more like an anime I suppose). Don't get me wrong though, Western RPGs are great but JRPGs seem to be becoming so long they just stretch the story to the point where you forget what is going on (FFXII I'm looking at you, why the hell would you put a 4 hour dungeon right after a huge plot twist and the end of the game?)

Well, at least RPGs are still long. Action games are getting shorter and shoter every day.

I suppose I haven't noticed that. Can you give some examples? I think the last two straight up action games I got were Astro Boy: The Omega Factor and Gunstar Super Heros both by Treasure. Astro Boy was amazingly long and had the equivalent of a Metal Gear style story which added a lot of time to the game but Gunstar Super Heros was unbelievably short, shorter than the original.

[Zimbacca]

Mortal Kombat Shaolin monks was only about five or six hours, and the bouncer only about three (beat that in one sitting).

[hXd]

The Bouncer *shudders*

I still haven't even beaten FFXII, but I'm trying to do everything possible in it. I guess you could solve the time issue by just breezing through the storyline wthout doing side quests. I personally love to spend 100+ hours in an RPG and see it all the way through.

I also agree with Tondog that action games are way too short these days. Great case in point? Zone Of The Enders 1 & 2. FANTASTIC games, but WAY WAY too short. Shoulda put at least 20-25 more hours into that.

[Zimbacca]

I actually love a long RPG, which is part of the reason I prefer western RPGS like Never Winter Nights and Morrowind.  I can spend hours just doing side quests and leveling up my character in different ways other than just from killing monsters.

[Shimra]

The Bouncer *shudders*

I still haven't even beaten FFXII, but I'm trying to do everything possible in it. I guess you could solve the time issue by just breezing through the storyline wthout doing side quests. I personally love to spend 100+ hours in an RPG and see it all the way through.

I also agree with Tondog that action games are way too short these days. Great case in point? Zone Of The Enders 1 & 2. FANTASTIC games, but WAY WAY too short. Shoulda put at least 20-25 more hours into that.

 

Never played the original but I thought ZotE 2 had the perfect length. Any longer and the story would be too drawn out and not have the right feel to it. Also the challenge mode is more than enough to increase replay value, which IMO replay value is more of a factor than longevity.

[hXd]

Never played the original but I thought ZotE 2 had the perfect length. Any longer and the story would be too drawn out and not have the right feel to it. Also the challenge mode is more than enough to increase replay value, which IMO replay value is more of a factor than longevity.

Yeah you're probably right. I guess maybe I just like that game too much. ;-)

Hopefully there will be a 3.

[Shimra]

A 3 would be amazing beyond all belief. I really wish more people would talk about ZotE. It´s not like it isn´t a well known and critically acclaimed game.

Also, I went to get Xenosaga today and just ended up, well screwing myself. There was a buy two get one free and there were three games I had been searching for so I had to do it. Got Shadow Hearts From the New World, Suikoden 3, and Baten Kaitos Origins (I´m actually a real big fan of this series, I was more pumped about finding this game than the others).

[Cobra]

I prefer a long RPG, as apposed to action, racing, sports etc. games, you generally only play them once, while the other genres are more about fun, RPG are more about another world experience, like a book. So just like books, you normally only play them once. So when it comes to great RPGs they have never been long enough

[cyberfluxor]

I love to spend lots of time on RPGs, discovering the many hidden treasures when I have the time. I haven't been able to really sit down and just play a game in a long time. If I spent less time typing up and reading message boards that may help, but the other thing is I've been spending most of my "free" time watching recorded TV shows. I fell so behind on a bunch of shows and since June I've been watching close to 15hrs of DVR TV a week, and once I'm comfortable I have many hours of DVD/VHS animes that need to be watched. Only quick fix games have domitated my systems lately (ie. racing, shooters, side-scrollers, arcade ports) so there's a huge back log of games to be played.

But going with what you're saying, grindfests only last 12hrs at best in my book. I've played some free MMOs that are pure grinding and they really are only fun for a short period of time. JRPGs are great if the story stays with the fighting but I'm not going to spend 3hrs sparing with demons just for a fair match with the next boss.

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

Well, at least RPGs are still long. Action games are getting shorter and shoter every day.

Forserious, I beat CoD 3 on normal in one day.

Now back to WoW, where I've logged over a month of playing time.

[Arrrhalomynn]

The thing about Japanese RPGs is that they're build on repetition. I don't like playing them because you have to do the same thing over and over again, while the story very slowly advances. It's as much part of the genre as freaky big eyes and busty teenagers.

That's why I play western RPGs. I put over a 100 hours in Oblivion and still loved it. The diversity and freedom of this game puts any Japanese RPG to shame.