10 Games That Are Excessively Long to Their Own Detriment
Polygon has selected adventures that, in the author's opinion, would benefit from being shortened
A big game does not always mean an engaging one. Dozens of hours of content can be enjoyable until the missions start repeating and the plot delays the climax. The publication's author has compiled a list of ten games that, in his view, keep players in front of the screen for too long.
The list includes both large-scale role-playing adventures and acclaimed narrative hits. The main criticism here is not the number of hours as such, but how interestingly they are filled.
10. Dragon Quest VII
Traveling between islands and eras gives the game many separate stories. However, according to the author, their abundance gradually becomes a drawback: similar adventures repeat, and the main storyline gets lost behind the local problems of new characters.
9. Grand Theft Auto IV
The grim story of Niko Bellic offers a more grounded look at the criminal world than some other GTA installments. But the author of the list found the missions lacking in variety: frequent trips to the next shootout eventually start to feel like routine.
8. Yakuza 5
Multiple protagonists allow the game to show different sides of one story. The downside of this approach is the need to regularly familiarize oneself with new environments and characters. Until the storylines converge, the adventure, in the author's estimation, too often feels like it is starting over.
7. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
The vast Ancient Greece impresses with its scale, but progressing through the story involves clearing fortresses, traveling, and leveling up. The author believes these activities too often interrupt the main adventure and turn exploring the world into a mandatory chore.
6. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
The criticism of Valhalla is primarily related to the structure of the campaign. Forming alliances in different regions of England expands into a long sequence of separate story arcs. Against this backdrop, the central conflict recedes into the background for a long time.
5. Tales of Arise
According to the author, the final part of the role-playing game lags behind the beginning in terms of pacing. Instead of a swift move toward the climax, the player gets lengthy explanations of the world's mechanics and a series of drawn-out battles.
4. God of War Ragnarök
Even Kratos and Atreus's adventure made it onto the list. The author criticizes the numerous plot digressions, side quests, and prolonged dialogues, which, in his opinion, prevent the story from maintaining tension.
3. Days Gone
Deacon St. John's post-apocalyptic journey gradually expands, introducing the player to new camps and conflicts. However, the author perceives the later events as an overly long continuation of an already established story. The mandatory encounters with hordes of infected added to his fatigue.
2. Dragon Age: Inquisition
Large locations are filled with side quests and collectible items. Polygon's main criticism is the need to divert attention from the plot to accumulate resources that unlock access to further operations. As a result, some formally optional activities feel mandatory.
1. Persona 5
Persona 5 took first place. The author acknowledges the strengths of its combat system and social mechanics but believes that alternating between school life, social interactions, and dungeon crawls eventually becomes too predictable. He found the final stretch particularly drawn out.
The list is sure to spark debate: for some players, it is precisely the length that makes these adventures beloved, while for others, it becomes the reason they never see the final credits.
Which game have you abandoned because it took too long to end?
