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as i grow older, i have less time.
i mean this both in a literal, physical, way, as well as in a day to day. it’s sad, but it’s what happens. i have less time in the day to spend on leisure time, always another shift or responsibility around the corner. at this point it’s natural.
i’m in a very thankful position, however, to still have time left. i can make blog posts, work on my hobbies, watch a tv show. perhaps the occasion comes around less, but it’s there. but that i’m often leaving these things only half done. it’s more daunting to start a five season show now or spend over 60 hours on a single game.
there’s a phrase that’s been going around lately “i want shorter games with worse graphics made by people who are paid more to work less. and i’m not kidding” it’s really a great statement prioritizing the workers behind these games. for my own personal preference, i’ll choose to talk about the first point: i want shorter games.
because really, should i need to spend countless hours on something to derive enjoyment out of it? does more content automatically equal better content? i recently revisited Katamari Damacy REROLL (2019), a game that could easily be beaten in less than five hours.
and it’s just so easy to be sucked in and immediately charmed. the low poly graphics and some of the catchiest songs in gaming, it’s just great. and more than anything, it felt complete. there’s only 10 main levels, each on a time limit, but the amount to explore is so vast i’ve played it all the way through a couple of times and it never felt repetitive.
compare this to, say, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023). great game! but i’ve only spent a couple of hours on it and don’t even feel like i’ve scratched the surface of what the game has to store. it’s both exciting, and to me, discouraging at times. i know i will never beat that game. there are just so many other things that need my attention or occupy my time. and it makes me a bit sad, because i did enjoy what i played.
it’s a double edged sword, really. i want more of a game, but i also want that feeling of completeness. perhaps the best solution here is to simply play a mix of longer and shorter games, but with games published being longer nowadays it’s getting harder. i’ve started to move a bit away from tripe a long form games and into indie or older games.
overall, i do wish games would be shorter, i want them with worse graphics and made by people paid better. here’s hoping i can one day beat more games. or get more time. whoever’s first.
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great video on wanting shorter games with worse graphics.
https://youtu.be/srZDo5bfF6Q?si=rjyiO7-HKSxm5hOm
if anyone has any recommendations for shorter games i’d love to hear them!
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cinnaswirl
There are plenty of short games out there still being made, it's just a matter of finding them really. Indie games are especially a good spot to look if you're looking for shorter experiences. As a fan of platformers, I really like stuff like the Toree3D games, Crumble, Pizza Tower, Sonic games (particularly adventure style ones), etc. and they're games that can be cleared in just a few hours of play time. I believe you could even beat the Toree games in under an hour really (each game is only $1). There's plenty more you could find, honestly looking at some Steam listings under $20 might help you find ones that are fun and aren't too long to beat
pizzamachine
I enjoyed playing Smushi and A Short Hike as much as Resident Evil Village (which is saying a lot).
Unrealism
Raycevick had a video on the topic titled "Games Should Leave You Wanting More" that mostly focused on the aspect of longer games not maintaining the same quality for their duration that I think's a good addition. As far as recommendations go, easiest ones to make are the Portal games. Past that, Omori took me roughly 10 hours on my first run and Absolute Drift took about that amount of time to get every achievement. I think the Devil May Cry games each take somewhere between 5 and 10 hours to get through on a first run, and they're all split up into 20 missions to keep track. If you don't mind shooters, I'd highly recommend Spec Ops: The Line and Call of Juarez: Gunslinger as well.
ill definitely check that out! i think 'quality' is a good word to bring to this conversation, somtimes when games are too long they feel like the quality wanes as much as the first couple of hours. i adore the portal games! i recently replayed it and its just as good as when it came out. the dmc series have been on my backlog for a long time. i didnt know they were that short. ill also note down the other games too, thank you :)
by emerald; ; Report
No problem!
by Unrealism; ; Report
Fawkes
A short, but well knit experience is better than one which becomes long and drawn out any day. I think there a lot of those games out there like that, but it will always feel like we're missing out as long as other people play longer games and we see that.
exactly! its so sad when a game is fun at first, but as it continues, it becomes more and more monotonous... i think long term games have their place but it shouldnt overtake the position of a quick but well knit game.
by emerald; ; Report