Kotaku posted on Final Fantasy XIII’s length yesterday, and stated the game would be a full 50 to 60 hour game. Brian Ashcraft’s post seemed to point that he was very happy with Toriyama’s statement, but the comments below his post seemed to point to disappointment.

Although I will agree that most of the time that a developer gives a ETC (a stolen term from Kotaku user, Mike Newlad), it always seems to never be close.  Most of the time, it does seem to be an embelishment, one where a non experienced gamer is clocked. Despite the fact that these games tend to be ones that are geared towards the “core” (excuse the term) audience. The worst thing, is that when someone who isn’t a hardcore gamer decides to play one of these games, they tend to see hours far beyond what the developer called for. So, I’m saying that pinning a game with x-hours of gameplay is probably something that could be done away with.  Come on! We all have different levels of skill and play style, so why attach anything to something that can swing so wildly? We don’t see movie reviews that say “This movie will make you cry at least 10 tears!” It’s fucking retarded, and needs to be stopped.

Now, on to the my biggest gripe.  Many people who will agree with my above statement will say that their needs to be a better way of conveying the amount of content in a game, and while I will agree with that statement, I will say that any reference to time will never work. In fact, the importance of time it takes to beat, or complete a game needs to be diminished. There is one main reason why I believe this above all others. Super Mario Bros. 3.  The first time I ever beat this game was during elementary, at our after school program where we were alotted 15 minutes of gaming a piece. It took me less than 15 minutes to beat that game, and it was probably the most memorable moment in my gaming history.  When I finally got my hands on the game I played it from beginning to end and enjoyed it grately (especially since I learned what a Tanooki suit was), but the 15 minute race was so exciting that nothing to this day has outshone that faithful day.

There are countless other games that don’t need hundreds of hours to make the player feel like they had a full experience.  What really matters is if the game delivers a fulfilling and enjoyable experience throughout the duration of a game. Even disturbing or frustrating portions of the game can become a fulfilling part of the game if done correctly.  So lets stop focusing on how much time we put into a game, and start focusing on more important things. Like how many tears we have shed when a beloved character dies.

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