What's the perfect length for a single player non-rpg campaign?

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SolidGame_basic

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Poll What's the perfect length for a single player non-rpg campaign? (80 votes)

5 hours 3%
10 hours 9%
15 hours 35%
20 hours 29%
25 hours 13%
30 hours 6%
More than 30 hours! 6%

I would say 15 hours is right around the money.. It's enough to have a story and also great gameplay elements. Once you go beyond that, it may start to feel like filler. Even 15 could be a bit long, but 10 is kind of tight. Realistically, somewhere in that range I think is great.

What do you think, SW? What's the perfect length for a single player non-rpg campaign?

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VFighter

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#1 VFighter
Member since 2016 • 11031 Posts

Depends on the game really and how much (good) content they can pack into it.

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lamprey263

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#2  Edited By lamprey263
Member since 2006 • 45610 Posts

No more than 10 to 20 and I might even replay it if it is worth it (I'll say 15 to split the difference). Anything longer starts to become a commitment. Even good games 40-100 hours I likely will never replay.

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poe13

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#3 poe13
Member since 2005 • 1441 Posts

I agree, for a non-RPG solo game, 15 hours is the sweet spot. That's about how long it takes me to play through the first The Last of Us (fvk the sequel). One of my favorite games and the length is perfect. Doesn't overstay it's welcome at all.

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Djoffer123

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#4 Djoffer123
Member since 2016 • 2386 Posts

Agreed, 15-20 hours is my sweet spot fora non story heavy game!

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uninspiredcup

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#6 uninspiredcup
Member since 2013 • 63664 Posts
@vfighter said:

Depends on the game really and how much (good) content they can pack into it.

This.

-

Playing Risen ATM, the final act definitely feels too long. It's like you're close to the end of the game, and then you just get a bunch of busy-work tasks to do. Really brings down an otherwise mostly enjoyable experience.

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hardwenzen

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#7 hardwenzen
Member since 2005 • 42366 Posts

To me TLOU2 was too short.

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Ghosts4ever

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#8 Ghosts4ever
Member since 2015 • 26275 Posts

12-15 hours. then game dragged and dragged.

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pyro1245

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#9 pyro1245
Member since 2003 • 9525 Posts

between 5 and 500 hours

lol

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BlargForToo

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#10  Edited By BlargForToo
Member since 2021 • 41 Posts

Agree with most people above..it totally depends on the game. Non-RPG is a pretty broad spectrum, I mean it's basically everything that isn't an RPG! (well duh.. xD ) So for an RTS or other simulation focused title I think 30+ hours is perfectly reasonable, maybe even expected for fans of the genre, but a fast-paced action game will almost certainly get repetitive or tiring after more than 15. That being said, I thought GOW 2018 was by far my favourite in the series even though it took me about 40 hours, which is circa 3x the length of the earlier ones..I even went back for a 2nd playthrough to clean up the Platinum, so spent probably 60-70 hours overall! But then again it does have some RPG and open world elements, maybe that's why it worked..who knows.

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madsnakehhh

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#11  Edited By madsnakehhh
Member since 2007 • 18377 Posts

I say 15 to 20 is fine.

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Eoten

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#12 Eoten
Member since 2020 • 8671 Posts

Under 10 with replayability is best. If a game drones on for too long, I get bored of it and start playing other stuff. And if there is no replayability, then once it's over I'll never touch it again. You get more hours of gameplay from something short, sweet, consisting of many different ways to do things.

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lamprey263

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#13 lamprey263
Member since 2006 • 45610 Posts

I still haven't played through MGS5 or Witcher 3, two games that release same year that were at time said to be like the best games of the year, because I look at them and I don't doubt that they're good but I think like jeez that's a major time commitment, and instead choose something that won't be a major commitment.

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jaydan

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#14 jaydan
Member since 2015 • 9212 Posts

I think a solid 30 to 50 hour game works best for me.

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#15 deactivated-642321fb121ca
Member since 2013 • 7142 Posts

Amazing how people cannot put the controller down and come back to it. Having to finish something in a quick sitting is ridiculous.

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lebanese_boy

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#16 lebanese_boy
Member since 2003 • 18055 Posts

20-25 I'd say.

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hardwenzen

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#17  Edited By hardwenzen
Member since 2005 • 42366 Posts

A standard shooter like Doom Eternal, i wish the game was like 50 hours minimum. Both, Eternal and Doom2016, when getting close to the last level, i felt bad because i wanted to play much more, but not replaying what i've already completed. With quality action games such as Sekiro, i wish they were all 100h plus.

I also wish AssCreed was like 30 minutes long or not come out at all.😣

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blaznwiipspman1

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#18 blaznwiipspman1
Member since 2007 • 17017 Posts

Thats what I hate about rpg games. I'm still trying to beat persona5 and im at 100h

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xantufrog

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#19 xantufrog  Moderator
Member since 2013 • 17907 Posts

Anywhere from 5-20 hours depending on the game

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mrbojangles25

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#20 mrbojangles25
Member since 2005 • 61226 Posts

10-30 hours, so I just put 20 hours.

Sometimes if a game holds my interest, I can go as long as 40. AC Odyssey held my interest for a long time, but that was a rarity.

Shooters are good at 20 hours. Recent games have added a lot of replayability, be it with randomly-generated levels or "new game plus" modes, so even if they only go 10-15 hours that's OK if you can replay it once or twice.

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Mozelleple112

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#21  Edited By Mozelleple112
Member since 2011 • 11293 Posts

I would 30-40 hour games are the perfect length.

Think The Last of Us 2, God of War, Sekiro, Demon's Souls

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SolidGame_basic

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#22 SolidGame_basic
Member since 2003 • 48120 Posts

@Mozelleple112 said:

I would 30-40 hour games are the perfect length.

Think The Last of Us 2, God of War, Sekiro, Demon's Souls

Woah

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cainetao11

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#23 cainetao11
Member since 2006 • 38110 Posts

It better have great gameplay. 15 hours is a nice spot.

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clone01

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#24  Edited By clone01
Member since 2003 • 29846 Posts

my sweet spot has always been in the 12-20 hour range, depending on collectibles, side excursions, etc.

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Mozelleple112

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#25 Mozelleple112
Member since 2011 • 11293 Posts

@SolidGame_basic: Woah what? :p

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Maroxad

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#26  Edited By Maroxad
Member since 2007 • 25704 Posts

Really depends on the game.

A Metroidvania is best at around the 2-4 hour mark. While something like Zelda is best at around 15-20 hours.

And for the record, RPGs should ideally last no longer than 20 hours as well.

On Average, I would say around 8-10 hours though.

Really very few games have any business lasting as long as they do. Ring Fit Adventure works for obvious reasons. But so many games especially ubitrash and RPGs, last way too long for no reason.

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Telekill

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#27 Telekill
Member since 2003 • 12061 Posts

15-20 hours is about right for me. The Assassins Creed games have added so much needless filler to bloat the latest games to 40-50 hours campaigns. Valhalla will be the last in the series for me at full price if not entirely.

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#28  Edited By Vaasman
Member since 2008 • 15884 Posts

The perfect length is however long it takes for the game ideas to start running thin. It's never universal and the idea that games need to reach a certain length to be ideal has always been a shitty metric that hamstrings a lot of good concepts due to pacing issues.

I have fond memories of putting hundreds of hours into Starfox 64 because of how the game's replayability and course functions work, even though a proper run to beat the game is only about an hour long.

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Legacy99

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#29 Legacy99
Member since 2021 • 13 Posts

15 hrs is the sweet spot

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BassMan

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#30 BassMan
Member since 2002 • 18808 Posts

There is no perfect length. It all comes down to player engagement. If the game can keep you engaged with good gameplay and fresh content, you don't want it to end.

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rrjim1

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#31 rrjim1
Member since 2005 • 1983 Posts

15 hrs is a joke I wouldn't purchase the game unless is was $20.00 or less!

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Basinboy

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#32 Basinboy
Member since 2003 • 14565 Posts

Anywhere in the 15-30 hours. Remixed playthroughs permitted, but no CCs.

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#33  Edited By hrt_rulz01
Member since 2006 • 22778 Posts

Depends on the type of game, but generally around 10-15 hours is my sweet spot.

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Macutchi

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#34 Macutchi
Member since 2007 • 11284 Posts

@BassMan said:

There is no perfect length. It all comes down to player engagement. If the game can keep you engaged with good gameplay and fresh content, you don't want it to end.

true but you almost inevitably get diminishing returns the longer it goes on for. there are a few games i loved that outstayed their welcome. alien isolation comes to mind. i'd say the best campaigns are on average 15-20 hours. that's probably the safe zone. any longer and games keeping content fresh and player engaged get rarer

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#35  Edited By Valgaav_219
Member since 2017 • 3134 Posts

@Maroxad: Dude, I know that's your opinion but who would want to play an RPG that's only 20 hours? Most RPG's are just getting started at that point. I'm not really understanding the reasoning behind that but I prefer RPG's that tell grand stories across entire worlds and also ensures the characters are well fleshed out. I don't really see any of that happening in 20 hours or less.

On topic: I'd say about 20 hours at least. I tend to avoid short games even if I own them. Games like Abzu, Journey, and Rime are still sitting in my backlog years later for some reason. On the other hand I've been playing Rayman Legends for months and it's still fun. The levels are short so the game's really accessible but it'll still take some work to beat the game.

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ZELDABOTW2

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#36 ZELDABOTW2
Member since 2021 • 664 Posts

I dont think there is a perfect length. A good game is a good game no matter the length. I do like games to be long just for the simple fact that once I beat a game I find its not has fun to play it the second time. Games I love I can replay no problem but its still not has fun the second time and so if a game is good I dont want that first time to end.

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#37 Litchie
Member since 2003 • 36416 Posts

Depends on the game.

I like when games I enjoy are longer than 30 hours. Dark Souls, Sekiro, Zelda, shit like that. Ultimately, I just want a good game. Don't care about the length of the game as long as it suits the game.

That said, **** Ubisoft and their padding.

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BenjaminBanklin

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#38 BenjaminBanklin
Member since 2004 • 11656 Posts

@vfighter said:

Depends on the game really and how much (good) content they can pack into it.

For sure. Some games with certain mechanics can't maintain 12+ hours without getting stale. Developing games should also focus on when they wear out their welcome.

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Vaativids

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#39 Vaativids
Member since 2021 • 337 Posts

It’s difficult to tell with RPG’s because each FromSoft game is meant to be around 30 hours long even though they take you three times that.

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Jag85

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#41 Jag85
Member since 2005 • 20971 Posts

5-10 hours.