Is it bad that I actually prefer shorter games?

Don't get me wrong, I can spend 40+ hours on a good RPG. But in general, I secretly wish that every game is around 5 or so hours long. I just lack the motivation to keep myself playing if I ever get stuck, or ever give a game a second chance, if the first impressions are bad. I'm finding it hard this generation to find many games that keep me going.

GTA4 for example, I've put nearly 30 hours into it, but I'm at a point that I just know I will probably never play it again. MGS4 is somewhat similar, I'm at the beginning of Act 5, I've tried two or three times to get through that door (trying to avoid spoilers here) without being killed. I know the mission isn't hard, the times I've tried, I've nearly done it. It's just getting myself to play it again that I struggle with.

The same thing has happened with Bioshock, Uncharted and Ratchet & Clank. None of those games have made me want to play more, to progress in the story, to get past the bit I may be stuck at.

I've probably come across as a miserable, lazy guy, who actually just doesn't enjoy gaming. You would be wrong, well atleast with the last part. Games like CoD4, Mass Effect and Gears have had me loving every step of the way.

Anyone else in the same boat?

Well... don't complain when a game is too short then, lol, because we all know people will.

I like shorter games too, when games get really long, I find they just overstay their visit and I become tired of them.

I'd like shorter games but 5 hours seems way to short. 8-9 hours seems alright.

Bad? Not at all. Everyone prefers their own things. I think the re-playability of a game is much more important over the length of a game. If a game is really long but boring, I don't want it. I much rather have a short game that's an amazing experience the whole time. I think most people tend to focus on the length of a game rather than it's re-playability.

"Well... don't complain when a game is too short then, lol, because we all know people will."

Game length and game quality are seldom directly related.  Ten or twelve hours is perfect for me, I don't need a game to last 50 hours to consider it a great game.  People are way too obsessed with the length of games, in my opinion.

Due to the fact that I don't keep games but sell them when they hold no additional appeal to me, I don't mind short games at all. If they are well envisioned and directed, short games can make for an awesome experience. Sometimes, these games benefit so much from their shortness, that you'll gladly beat them a second or a third time, eliminating the whole "games are expensive, therefore should be long" issue.
MGS2 is an example. Pretty short game, but I've put a massive amount of hours into it.
Shadow of the Colossus is also a game that couldn't have benefited from a longer duration.

If you ask me, it's a good thing there are short games.

Gameplay per square foot is the term I like a lot. A game could be short (ie Gears, Uncharted, etc) but it could still be good because of how much gameplay it had to offer in it. Other games such as Oblivion, offer a great mix of the two, in a more stretched sort of way. So short is OK, if the game is actually GOOD.

As said on the bombcast, as long as a game doesn't outstay its welcome than its fine by me.

I like shorter games so they don't get as repetitive as long as they have a good story

i like when games hit the sweet spot about 10-12 hours.
some games have exceptions though like mgs and some jrpgs.

haha I usually get dissappointed when its short because I usually never want it to end if its a very good game

You may agree with Nintendo's philosophy on pick-up-and-play.

Note* The above words does not accuse the Topic Creater of being a Wii fanboy, grandma, or puss.

Depends on the game. Some games are way too long, like Assassin's Creed. That experience got old after the first half of the game

If the game is short, I don't want to pay $60 for it.  For people that want short games, I would suggest renting them. Plus, if you can go through a ton of games in a short period of time, it seems you'll get bored with gaming pretty fast. You'll find yourself "being there & doing that" more often.

Not at all.  Games like Braid & Portal wouldn't have nearly the same feeling if they drug on for 10 hours.  The gameplay would get very stale and repetetive and they wouldn't be anywhere near as tight of an experience.  There's something great about a game that has no filler...how many of those GTA missions are exact duplicates of ones you've already done 30 times, just with a slight twist on the motivation of the character?

It's all a matter of opinion. I've never considered a game good or bad based on it's duration, however, if I find myself attached to a game, I'd like it to be as long as possible, mainly because I get that "Oh man, I don't want this to end" feeling.

I'll take short over "padded" any day.

I agree 100%. My favorite single player games of 2007 are HL2 Episode Two and Call of Duty 4. I'm not an RPG person at all.

I like my games to be long, but only if they're good.

I get disappointed when the game is short, it makes me feel like I got short changed on the game. But of course there are those exceptions that are still awesome despite its shortness.

It does depend. If it's a game I'm really enjoying, the longer the better. Like Mass Effect for example, I love that game, but it was way too short. It's definitely not a fixed rule, it's just a lot of games I don't care enough about to put the hours in.

I guess I'm more of a fussy gamer then anything.

I would rather have a short game that was well done and not some long, drawn out game. While I do like Final Fantasy, it has alot of unnecessary things to do to inflate game length, I would probably prefer Mass Effect.

Good quality short games are nice.  I've played too many games where you could just feel the developer trying to drag out the single player game to the detriment of the over all experience.

Oh goodie I get to back track thru the same map again!

there's a constant between pace, inesnsity and length if you ask me

You like what you like. Others like what they like. Don't force yourself to like something when you don't.

nope i play games until i beat them

I prefer shorter games. I ususally grow tired of games that are too long.

I dont see any problems with liking shorter games. They make all kinds of games for all kinds of people. I prefer most of my games to be 15 hours atleast because Im a rpg fan. But if the game is something I like then I dont mind it being shorter.