It’s coming to the end of a gaming era, and the PlayStation 4’s sales figures have surpassed 110.4 million. Although not as earth-shattering as the PlayStation 2, which sold more than 155 million units, the PlayStation 4 did surpass the PlayStation and PlayStation 3. With the system putting up robust numbers, the games have made the difference.
The PlayStation 4 has become renowned for its story-intensive games. Quite a few take a while to beat, offering added value. However, it takes fortitude and resilience to beat the longest of games. The following playtime estimates were taken fromhowlongtobeat.com.
Updated December 10th, 2022 by Jason Wojnar:Even though the PS4 is now 10 years old, it still has a lot of value left in it. After all, if anybody bought one today they would have ten years of video game history to sort through. Even if a player played all the shortest games on the console, it would still take them eons to go through all of them. This list and its update deal with the big ones, though. Sinking one’s teeth into any of these games will require serious dedication. Sometimes it seems like these, along with the new entries for the update, never end.
The times taken from howlongtobeat.com show the estimated times for a main story playthrough. That means many of these games can be significantly longer if one does all the side content.
With story missions alone, players are looking at 94 separate adventures. These missions are not the old open-world objectives fromGTA 3where players follow someone and take them out, either. Each one is finely crafted with beautiful cinematics and involves multiple steps.
Combine that with the time it takes to travel from different locations to accept each mission and one can look at 50 hours as a conservative estimate. And being realistic, almost nobody is just mainlining the story inRed Dead Redemption 2. Even if one wanted to, it is impossible to resist thetemptation of explorationand side quests.
Though this is the time estimated for the game of the year edition of the game that includes both DLC story expansions, it should be noted that doing the main game along with the DLC will absolutely take players longer than 56 hours. For one, the original release is listed at 51 1/2 hours to complete and the DLCs separately add up to about 25 hours.
Realistically, the main story path without side quests on the base game or on either of the expansions will take closer to 75 or 80 hours. Like with most compelling open-world games, it will not be easy toignore all the side quests.
AfterAssassin’s Creed Syndicatethe series went into a more open-world action RPG direction forOriginsandOdyssey.Valhallawas the point where people argued that maybe they went too big with the world, story, and side content. 61 hours of an action game with RPG elements is a huge trek.
Fortunately, it is a mechanically sound adventure, but it is just a lot to go through. Those who only play a few games a year will be more than satisfied with the amount of time it takes to beatValhalla. The series went back to its roots after this gargantuan adventure withMirage.
With a newDragon Agestill years away, people still have time to play through the series. The first two entries are hard to get on any modern consoles, but at leastInquisitionis a little easier to grab up on PS4.
The main story will require about 60 hours to beat while completionists will need to invest more than twice that amount if they want to get through everything that the game has to offer. Thankfully, the DLC is fantastic and really adds to the game’s story so it never really feels like too much of a chore.
17Clannad
60 Hours
This Japanese visual novel is based on the popular television series of the same name.Clannadhas been around for a while since it was initially released in 2004 in Japan. The story mostly takes place at a private high school and follows the life of Youhei Sunohara, the playable character.
For those looking for a unique experience,Clannadjust might be the one for them. The game does have English text, which can be changed in the menu. The game is extraordinarily long, with a main story length of around 60 hours.
My Time At Portiaisyet another farming simulator gamethat has earned acclaim. The game can be criticized for its overly massive world that plays similarly to an MMORPG. However, some would say that it is part of its appeal. Simple quests like fetching apples are made difficult because a high-level monster is guarding them.
In conclusion,My Time At Portiais a detailed farming simulator and action role-playing game that will keep players engaged for a hefty 69 hours. Its visuals may look a little childish, but the gameplay on offer is anything but.
15Divinity: Original Sin
67 1/2 Hours
The firstDivinity: Original Sinis not quite as critically acclaimed as its hugely successful sequel, but plenty will prefer it for its polished gameplay that was ahead of its time at the time of the game’s release. It’s a turn-based game set in a fantasy world.
Divinity: Original Sinbrings enough to the table to compete with games likeBaldur’s Gateandother leading RPGs.Many will appreciate the game and invest numerous hours trying to progress through its arduous combat.
14Rainbow Moon
66 1/2 Hours
Rainbow Moonis a role-playing game that encourages tactical combat. When older gamers think ofRainbow Moon,they typically look to greats likeRuneScapeand Fire Emblem: Three Houses, both of which are surprisingly similar.
There’s an abundance of content inRainbow Moonto keep players engaged right throughout the game’s 66 1/2-hour main story. However, completionists will find almost twice as much content if they dig deep enough intoRainbow Moon.
13The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel IV
64 Hours
TheLegend of Heroesgameshave always been long, butTrails of Cold Steel IVjust manages to edge out its predecessors to claim that top spot. Clocking in at more than 65 hours, completing this lengthy JRPG will require some serious graft and dedication as well as a fair amount of grinding.
Luckily, it is one of the better entries in the series which goes some way to justifying its long, meandering story. It’s one of those games that’s able to pull players in and will likelyprove popular with JRPG fansregardless of whether or not they have played any of the previous TLoH games. Better still, the PS4 remaster is hands down the best way of experiencing the game meaning there’s never been a better time to check it out.
12Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris
66 Hours
TheSword Art Onlineseries is growing increasingly popular in the West, thanks in large to how accessible the anime is when compared with some of the other offerings from Japan. Sadly, however,Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycorisis yet another mediocre adaptation that was littered with technical issues at launch and features one of the slowest introductory chapters in the history of gaming.
The 10+ hours spent toiling away in the game’s opening chapter are indicative of the game’s poor pacing and also contribute to its ridiculous length. Things do pick up a little once players make it out of the game’s opening act, but not nearly enough to justify almost 70 hours of playtime. Longtime fans of the series might decide otherwise, but everybody else would be best to steer clear.
