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I have played a lot of RPGs. From strategy to epic to action RPG, I've played any title the genre could offer. Of course, I'm not claiming to have played them all; I'm sure insufficient funds and time have prevented me from playing even half. But this ed isn't about how many I've played, it's about how few I've completed.
Anyone could tell you the average RPG takes more time to complete than maybe a FPS, or perhaps an action/platforming game. The reason why varies, but I can definitely ensure you that Metal Gear Solid took me less time to beat than say, Star Ocean II. What I'm getting at is, right from the start of the majority of the RPGs I purchase, I know that I'm going to be draining some serious time into it. I've learned this from experience! What I want to explore is the fact that, somewhere in-between Prince of Persia's completion time and Star Ocean II's completion time, I get sidetracked.
When I first applied to RPGamer.com for the position of Staff Editorialist, I was asked how many RPGs I have played, and then how many RPGs I have completed. I had never really bothered to count before, but when I did I realized that I only finished maybe 60% of the RPGs that I have played. I asked myself why this was, why I couldn't finish that 40%. I recalled some of the games I never finished, what had happened. Then it occurred to me: after a certain point I just moved on to another RPG.
Obviously, each of us have our own personal tolerance levels. Some of you have spent more time playing MMORPGs this year than you did sleeping. I am not someone who can do this! From personal experience, I find myself feeling a little tired of a game after maybe 30 to 40 hours. This amount of time is often enough to complete a good many RPGs, but sometimes this is not the case. Like I said, no one is the same. However, in this "10 second attention span" world we live in, I think its safe to assume that the average gamer has around a 30 to 40 hour tolerance level, if not less. Keeping this in mind I want to conclude that, when it comes to completing a video game, we RPGamers are at a bit of a disadvantage.
Why 30 to 40 hours? Why do I turn away at that point in time, instead of earlier or later? Well, there are a few basic reasons. First of all, I am one of the RPGamers out there that lives for the story. Even if a battle system and gameplay make me cringe, I'll endure it if the accompanying story enraptures me. Sometimes it is the other way around but considering RPGs are known for their storylines, the plot is a main focus. What this means is, if I am fed up with a game that has horrible gameplay and practically no plot, there is no way I'm going to be playing it for 30 hours whether it's an RPG or not. On the other hand, there comes a point where it becomes too much. At 50 hours, if I'm still grueling through a battle system that I don't like, and the story isn’t close to completion...I move on.
In a way I suppose this makes me look picky, but I really don't go into a game caring about how long it might take me to finish it. However, a year or two later when I happen to look at my collection, I'll see the game and wonder what happened. I'd realize that I loved playing every minute of it, but after a while it was just too much. Then, after being whisked away by fancy and new titles, years went by before I returned. It seems that as an RPGamer I am at a bit of a disadvantage: I love my storylines, but if the gameplay doesn't hold its own head up...the game gets thrown on the incomplete shelf.
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