Over the weekend someone uploaded gameplay videos of The Order, which showed off the game from start to finish, and when each video’s length is combined there are approximately five hours and 30 minutes of total gameplay. And because it is the internet, not to mention an industry full of folks that like to complain about experiences before they’ve actually experienced them, I’m seeing things like this:
“$60 for a 5-hour game?! You gotta be kidding me.”
“Will never buy from Ready at Dawn again. They’re thieves.”
“lol told u this game was gonna suck.”
::takes a deep breath:: ::roughly exhales::
First, from what I’ve gathered, those completing the game in 5 or so hours are doing so intentionally. They’re not stopping to explore, take in the sights, or whatever else there is to do in The Order. I myself have yet to play the game, so I can’t speak on what additional content is offered, but it’s almost as if these peeps are doing a speedrun, for lack of a better term. So of cooooourse the “end timer” is going to be a bit on the short side.
Second, isn’t “value” relative? When you plunk down $60 for a game, are you expecting a certain length, or are you expecting a rad, enjoyable, interactive experience? I can’t answer that for you, but I’ll give you a personal example: For years I regularly paid $60 for every Call of Duty that released. Not because of the multiplayer (that I never even touched) but because I LOVE the campaigns, and it ain’t no lie that dem nuts are short. But while short, they provided a solid rush, and as I would watch the ending credits roll I always felt a sense of fulfillment. Like, “Yeah, that was awesome and I’d totally do it over again.”
On the flipside, I’ve dropped $60 for games that have lasted too long. Y’know, the ones that consist of 7-8 hours of story with an additional 20 hours of fluff that in no way compliments or contributes to the overall experience. This goes without saying, but in the end it was the 4-hour Call of Duty campaign that justified its price tag.
I’ve come to learn that the length of a game isn’t what matters; it’s the feels I take away as I retire it on my shelf. After all, time is valuable, not to mention limited. We ain’t got a lot of it, so the more efficiently we can be delivered an outstanding experience, the better.
So hey, if you’re one of the many waving around a pitchfork or two, try setting ’em down. If, before this news, The Order: 1886 was a game that piqued your interest, still give it a shot. Challenge your preconceptions. And if you really hate the experience, sell it. But let’s try complaining about things after we’ve experienced them for ourselves, yeah? <3
Ah now i know!
Well said! I’m a person who would buy COD and play through the campaign as well. I enjoyed them all! By the time I’d get to messing around with multi-player, everyone would be so leveled up I’d get insta-fragged from that guy cross map who had the spawn points memorized.
Right on the money! An arbitrary long length is what a game great? Lol okay :p I too have played games and have thought, when is this going to end.
The Order 1886 looks like a fun game with a great setting that I will certainly pick up and play. This reaction and even the vast majority of reviews, OMG THIS GAME DIDN’T GET A 9, won’t affect my personal experience with it in the slightest .
I guess it depends on how that narrative experience feels on completion. If the game was obviously cut short due to development issues, i.e. ending on an act-2 cliffhanger that should have been resolved, etc.
I think there is something to the “length” aspect… you mentioned CoD’s campaign, but that game is largely focused on Multiplayer… so it makes sense. I thought I read somewhere that 1886 doesn’t have a Multiplayer component? I think that might contribute to it as well.
I don’t have too much of an issue with consumers taking umbrage with a $59.99 retail title with no multiplayer only having 6 hours worth of campaign content. I haven’t seen the “speedrun” video that you’re talking about, but does that 6 hours include dialogue or is it all skipped?
In the end, people will vote with their dollars. I don’t purchase games that are intentionally short that are obvious stages to push DLC later to “finish” the game’s story.
I think it’s funny how people forget the past. Games like Uncharted and God of War are both short but people love them.
Well Said! I hate when people complain about games or even movies for that matter before they’ve been released. It has to be a tremendous amount of pressure to be a game creator or movie director to know that your work is being judged before it even is ready to be “consumed” by the consumer.
This is true, its about the experience during the however many hours it is. people take things for granted nowadays. I mean going even further back my favorite games were sonic the hedgehog 2, rocket knight adventures, Mischief Makers, super mario world, etc, were those games 12 hours if your were good at em? heck no. but they still cost 50 dollars which is probably equivalent to 60 dollars today, and I still played them over and over cause it was fun! internet is so judgmental im excited and ill be getting the premium edition!
Very well said, people should wait to voice their opinions until they’ve experienced it for themselves, and I would take quality of story/gameplay over length of game any day of the week, hands down.
What’s funny is the youtuber who uploaded the videos said it himself that the 5 hours is clocked between the first trophy he achieve and the last but nobody knows how long it took him to get the first trophy but for people and journalist to state that it’s fact that the game can be beaten in 5 hours without a legitimate playthrough should feel a shame.
Since when does a games value, quality or the enjoyment you receive from it derive from its length? So by that logic a poorly made game with a story that makes no sense, is full of game breaking bugs and characters you don’t care about, but lasts 100 hours is apparently value?