Gaming is often far more of a time sink than other hobbies. While a film or a TV series can be over within hours, games usually take far longer. This is because their stories are often more stretched-out, with lengthy sections of gameplay between what would be scenes shown one after the other in any other medium, and they're often bursting with activities for players to get into.
Action games, those with an emphasis on combat in their gameplay, can be highly variable in their playtime. Some are short and sweet affairs, fast-paced, and long enough to keep a player hooked. Others are lengthy labors, pushing players onwards in a test of endurance. The latter category takes up far more time, but contains some of the best games in the genre.
10 NieR: Automata Requires Three Well-Sized Playthroughs
NieR: Automata has an unusual storytelling structure in that its full story takes place across three playthroughs. Despite having well-defined beginnings, middles, and ends, the first two act as a prologue to the game's events. The player experiences events once as 2B, and then again as 9S.
On a third playthrough, the player begins a new story, set after the first two, where the game's real meat is. With three playthroughs, all lengthy in their own right, with plenty of side content, the game takes a long time. Between its heartbreaking story and its blistering action-RPG combat, however, it more than entertains the player through all of that time.
9 God Of War (2018) Has Several Realms To Explore
Previous games in the God of War franchise were relatively short affairs, focusing on their visceral hack-n-slash gameplay rather than telling lengthy stories. In keeping with its new approach to the franchise, however, God of War (2018) is an expanded game featuring an open world in Midgard and several other realms for the player to explore.
Even without doing completionist realms like the maze of Niflheim and the combat-heavy Muspelheim, the game clocks in at over 20 hours, and if the player wants to seek out all of its content, they can be there for far longer. However, with the game acclaimed for its story, new approach to the character of Kratos, and solid combat, the hours will fly by.
8 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Will Force Players To Try And Try Again
Some games are lengthy because they tell a long story with many twists. Others are lengthy because they contain a vast world full of secrets. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice takes a long time to play because of its notorious difficulty. With unforgiving combat and a parry-heavy combat system that forces the player to learn it inside and out, players can expect to spend hours just on individual bosses.
The game isn't as large or expansive as other FromSoftware projects, but its difficulty and a reasonable amount of exploration keep it a well-sized affair. With how adrenaline-pumping every encounter throughout the game is, however, players are likely to lose track of time and make huge strides through it without even realizing it.
7 Monster Hunter: World Emphasizes Doing Things Again And Again
Loot-based games are infamous for how long they can take, tasking players with doing tasks repeatedly in hopes of getting lucky for the right drops. As a result, they always risk becoming a chore rather than something fun, but this is something that Monster Hunter: World avoids with its sheer quality.
Its actual story is pretty short, but the player has to advance their gear rapidly as they go along to keep up with enemies. Farming takes up lots of a player's time in Monster Hunter: World, as does grinding to complete post-story challenges, but each fight is so tense and well-crafted that they're entirely worth the effort to see, and enjoyable for the first or 10th time.
6 Red Dead Redemption II's Open World Is Huge
Open world games are known as time sinks, designed to attract players with a huge wealth of optional content, side activities, and simply traveling to locations to progress. Some are infamous for being broad-but-shallow, having a lot to do, but none very much worth doing. One game that averts this is Red Dead Redemption II.
The sequel to one of the most acclaimed open-world action-adventure games ever, RDRII takes everything good about Red Dead Redemption and builds on it. As a result, the world is more full, more lifelike, and even prettier. Whether players do the game's lengthy story, indulge in side content, or enjoy riding around the open world, the game rewards their time well.
5 Arkham City's Content Is Incredibly Varied
The most-acclaimed game in Rocksteady's Arkham series of Batman titles, Arkham City, takes the compelling core gameplay of Arkham Asylum's combat and stealth, and builds on everything else. The game expands things to an open world, has a far lengthier core story, and is full of side content that changes up gameplay and even allows the player to control other superheroes.
The game's core story will last close to 30 hours, with side content likely to take another 15-20. However, if players decide to go for completionism, the difference in sections where they control characters like Robin or Catwoman is sure to keep things fresh and enjoyable throughout.
4 Ghost Of Tsushima Is Delightful Throughout
A strong contender for Game of the Year in 2020, Ghost of Tsushima has received nothing but praise from almost all quarters since its release. While not a marathon of a game, it can take over 60 hours for players to see everything it has to offer, even without considering its Director's Cut.
Players are well-rewarded for their efforts in every part of the game. From its unique and fluid combat to its breathtaking scenery to its surprisingly poignant and human story, the game is well worth experiencing, however long it takes the player.
3 Elden Ring Is Both Vast And Challenging
After several more minor, more linear FromSoftware releases, one of Elden Ring's selling points is that it boasts much of the combat and gameplay of Dark Souls, but in a vast and storied open world. The game's sheer size has become notorious, with many huge areas bursting with places to explore and secrets to uncover.
In addition to simply taking time to traverse and explore the world, the game is also hard as nails. Players may well spend hours reaching the boss of an area, and then spend hours more dying repeatedly. With its acclaimed quality and dense content, however, the game has kept millions of players hooked through to the end.
2 Hades Isn't Done In One Playthrough
Roguelikes are games designed to be potentially infinitely replayable due to the large amount of randomization, ensuring that no two runs are ever alike. Many more modern ones, such as Hades, go one step further and encourage the player to continue playing after successful runs, slowly unlocking a story as they do.
Hades can take plenty of time, both due to its challenge and how many times a player has to run it to complete it fully. With a captivating art style, deep story, and combat that is always fresh and entertaining, players are still unlikely ever to get bored as they do so.
1 Horizon Zero Dawn Is Beautifully Pleasant Throughout
Some games don't need to be revolutionary or brand new to well worth playing; they can simply do things competently. Despite its unique, post-apocalyptic setting, Horizon Zero Dawn has fairly typical gameplay for an open-world action-adventure game, but originality is not the same as quality.
Instead, the game is so well-made and so beautiful in both its story and its art design that it's a delight to play. Playing it to completion can take 60 hours or more, but that won't stop players from cracking a smile on their fifty-eighth hour when they see yet another brilliantly-designed robot dinosaur.