10 Games That Are Way Too Long for Their Own Good
The article argues that some ambitious games overstay their welcome, turning potentially engaging stories into chores through repetitive missions, busy work or sprawling narratives. It says that plentiful content does not necessarily justify a long playtime, especially when the added hours weaken pacing or wear down players.
The excerpt discusses three examples: *Dragon Quest 7*, whose many island stories overwhelm its main plot; *Grand Theft Auto 4*, whose repetitive missions and muted tone make it feel longer than it is; and *Yakuza 5*, whose separate character storylines feel disconnected until late in the game. The article also notes that *Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined* removes several islands to make the adventure shorter.
In short
- More playtime can make a game feel like a chore.
- Repetition and sprawling stories are the main complaints.
- Three examples are discussed in the available article text.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A long game can lose the focus and momentum that make its story engaging. Repetitive missions, disconnected storylines and side content that adds little can make play feel like a chore, so cutting material may improve pacing and respect players’ time.
The case against
A sprawling game can offer room for rich settings, varied characters and stories that build gradually. What feels repetitive or overlong to some players may be welcome exploration to others, and removing content risks losing the detail and sense of scale that give an ambitious game its appeal.
Explained simply
Long games can give players more places to explore and stories to follow, but extra hours do not always make an experience more satisfying. Repeated tasks or stories that take a long time to connect can make progress feel like a chore.
Dragon Quest 7, Grand Theft Auto 4 and Yakuza 5 are role-playing and action-adventure games with large casts, missions or storylines. The article uses them to show different ways a game’s length can affect its pacing: from many island stories competing with a central plot to separate character arcs that only come together late.
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is a newer version that removes some islands, shortening the adventure. That change reflects a broader design choice: how much content to keep, and whether a tighter story may be more engaging than a longer one.