06-27-2026, 08:52 PM
I keep bouncing off games that pad runtime with repetitive fetch quests, unskippable cutscenes, and artificial difficulty gates. At some point in the last decade the industry decided longer = better and I think it produced a lot of bloated experiences.
Games I finished recently that I think got this right:
I have basically given up on 80-hour open world games unless someone whose taste I trust specifically tells me the whole thing is good, not just the first act.
What games do you think get the time-respect balance right?
Games I finished recently that I think got this right:
- Hades - every run is 30-45 minutes. Drop in, drop out. Progress feels constant.
- Outer Wilds - 15-20 hours, zero padding. Every minute is discovery.
- Disco Elysium - dense and long but earns every hour because the writing is the game.
- Returnal - punishing but never wastes your time with busywork
I have basically given up on 80-hour open world games unless someone whose taste I trust specifically tells me the whole thing is good, not just the first act.
What games do you think get the time-respect balance right?