Time is Money: Getting the Most Out of Your Games

Recently I bought, and played all the way through The Last of Us. The Last of Us is truly a work of art. It’s gripping, engaging, intensely visceral, and the only game I’ve ever played that made me shed a tear. Through and through, this game was amazing from start to finish. The Last of Us is definitely one of the greatest games of all time.

 

After my completing of the game, I posted a status update on my social network of choice. Almost immediately my friend messaged me about The Last of Us. Not to ask about how good it was, or whether or not I liked it, but of how long it was. I told him it took me thirteen hours to complete. He flipped out. He was upset that the game was only thirteen hours. Even though this game is a masterpiece, that apparently wasn’t enough to calm him down. Even though The Last of Us is not a very long game by most game standards, is it still worth your money?

 

From an economical standpoint, it isn’t. The game at full price is sixty (60) US Dollars. That, verses the mere thirteen hours of the game, doesn’t equal out to a fair trade. That is 4.62 dollars per hour of game. One could argue multiple play throughs of the game, but for the sake of this argument, let’s just keep it at one. My friend stated that an average RPG can take up to roughly sixty hours to play. My friends argument was that a development studio should have no excuse for taking about the same time as others to create a game of such a short length. I just don’t think that is a valid argument. Games take a very long time to develop, and comparing an RPG to an action-adventure game doesn’t quite make that much sense.
These are two completely different genres of games. The Last of Us is a top notch game, that is definitely worth buying and playing through. I don’t think that it will be one of those games that I will play through only once. I go back to my games a lot, so I suppose that makes me different. However, I still believe that The Last of Us is worth the full price, despite its short length. The game is a wholesome experience. From beginning to end, I was thoroughly engaged.

 

I’m not really one to talk, though, as I am not a huge fan of the RPG genre. I just don’t find them to be engaging enough for me to put in the amount of time that it takes for me to beat them. I’m not saying that it isn’t a good game genre, I’m just not a fan.

 

However, this argument is rather silly if you ask me. It’s your money, and you can put it towards whatever game that you so choose. I highly recommend The Last of Us, though, in the end it’s down to you on whether or not you choose to check it out or buy it. To each is own.

 

We hail games as art now days. If art truly is worth acquiring, then we should be willing to spend the money to acquire it. It isn’t a matter of economics, but a matter of taste. That’s art for you. One may like a game, while another something else. Words like”worth” and “value”, are the kind that can be stretched when it comes to something like video games, movies, music, or television.

 

Times are tough, and the economy is indeed in a bit of a slump. If you want to spend your money on a game that lasts thirteen hours or a game that lasts sixty, that’s up to you. All I can say is to spend your money wisely, and game on.

 

Tell me what you think? Is the amount of time that a game takes to beat a major factor for your purchase? Should we judge games based on their length, rather than there content, or should it be the other way around? Let us know in the comments!