If you really want to disappear into a game for years on end, live-service games and MMORPGs will certainly deliver. Just ask my Pokemon Go and Genshin Impact playtimes. But sometimes, a solid single-player game offers a steep enough challenge that you’re going to need to really devote some time to getting through it. In particular, RPGs that span 100s of hours while delivering some tough boss battles that will put you to the test are notorious for taking gamers longer than expected to complete.
Personally, I love a game that delivers on playtime, whether it’s a cozy game with endless potential or a tough RPG that forces me to grind. That’s especially true these days as the cost of games and the cost of living keep going up. So if you’re looking for a game that takes players full years to finally finish, these 3 will fit the bill. And better yet, one of them is entirely free-to-play.
3) Final Fantasy 10
I’ll admit this first one is coming from my personal list of “games I abandoned for months because I was too frustrated.” All Final Fantasy games are well known for taking players a long time to get through. They offer lengthy stories and tough challenges that often require particular strategies to take on. And in the case of Final Fantasy 10, between tough temple puzzles and bosses like Yunalesca, your journey to the final credits may well span years.
If you’re not using a strategy guide, as many of us didn’t back in the day when this game first released, it’s easy to basically soft-lock yourself in this one. Yunalesca, in particular, has a few moves that demand very specific items and/or party makeups to survive. That means you may well spend a long time trying to figure out how to get past certain parts of this one before you can progress. And that progress will reward you with… even more difficult boss battles to take on. But your playtime will vary depending on just how much you struggle with the battles and puzzles, landing Final Fantasy 10 the bottom slot on our list.
2) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
A younger me will tell you that any Legend of Zelda game can take years to beat if you try hard and get lost in the dungeons enough. But in particular, players have sunk 100s of hours into the open-world installment, Breath of the Wild. For many, truly finishing this game and exploring all its nooks and crannies is a project years in the making. This is partly due to challenges like completing Shrines, finishing puzzles, and keeping your equipment in good working order. But the lengthy playtime is largely because this open-world game just begs to be explored.
Breath of the Wild is often credited as the first open-world Legend of Zelda title, though many would argue the very first game was open world in its way. But regardless, the stunning graphics and addition of cozy elements like crafting and cooking make Breath of the Wild a game that players really want to sink into. The story itself can be completed relatively quickly, but a completionist run-through where you want to uncover every Korok seed and complete every sidequest can easily last gamers years. And in many cases, it has.
1) Elden Ring
All Souls-like games are going to take some time to complete. After all, they’re famous for their difficulty. But for many, Elden Ring is the ultimate experience in a game that is going to take a very, very long time to complete. In part, that’s due to the sheer length of the game’s campaign, which can take well over 100 hours to complete. But the difficulty adds even more length to the journey to beat Elden Ring.
As an open-world game, Elden Ring doesn’t present a linear path to the finish line. If you’re prone to falling down rabbit holes (or getting lost in caves or dungeons like I do), that’s going to mean putting some serious time into this one. And then there’s the steep challenge of combat, especially against the big bosses. Those tricky opponents can leave you stuck for weeks at a time until you come across the right solution or grind even levels to take on the task. For all these reasons and sheer love of the game, many players spend years trying to truly beat Elden Ring.
Which game took you years to beat? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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