Video game narratives can vary greatly. Some may be forgettable, while others linger, inviting you to explore every storyline, ending, branch, and quest. These games unveil expansive virtual worlds brimming with activities so engaging that you’ll never want to leave.
Games with the longest gameplay
This selection features games with stories captivating enough to keep you glued to your monitor for at least 50-60 hours. Naturally, the list excludes MMORPGs, which can be virtually endless, as well as various survival simulators and other games lacking clear end goals.
Pathfinder | Kingmaker
A vibrant RPG featuring intriguing mechanics and a thought-provoking story with philosophical undertones. It boasts a fantasy setting enriched with captivating characters who evolve and respond to the main character’s actions.
The game boasts an expansive world filled with numerous intriguing locations to discover, alongside a substantial variety of quests and dialogues. Pathfinder | Kingmaker is also known for its intricate combat system, governed by its unique rules and mechanics. Completing the entire game can take close to 190 hours.
Darkest Dungeon
A dark gothic roguelike game, inspired by Lovecraft’s horror tales, has emerged. Its difficulty level is so high that it has spawned a multitude of memes. The storyline may be simple, but it’s not the focal point of this project. The Darkest Dungeon stands out for its notoriously challenging gameplay.
The characters in this game are not the typical heroes with bulging biceps and an array of special abilities. They experience fear, stress, and mental challenges, all of which impact the gameplay. With the right skills, reaching the final boss may take 60 hours, but fully completing the game requires 124 hours.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar’s western masterpiece has polarized fans | some criticize the game for its slow pace, while others praise it as a delightful showcase of gameplay and graphics.
The storyline of Red Dead Redemption 2, noted for its length, frequently diverges into tasks that may seem unnecessary. These tasks are crafted with realism and seamlessly consume many hours of gameplay. Completing the game in its entirety is estimated to take around 187 hours.
The Witcher 3 | Wild Hunt
The latest RPG features expansive and varied locales, teeming with a plethora of quests, both primary and side missions. The team at CD Projekt Red spared no effort in enriching The Witcher’s adventures—a dedicated department was established within the studio to develop these tasks.
Completing all the activities in The Witcher 3 | Wild Hunt requires roughly 173 hours, not including the two expansive add-ons. While Hearts of Stone extends the original game’s locations, Blood & Wine introduces a completely new storyline in a brand-new region.
Assassin’s Creed Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla
The enthralling trilogy that navigates through pivotal historical events combines RPG and stealth gameplay. Players will immerse themselves in extensive explorations of Ancient Egypt and Greece, as well as the frosty coasts of Norway. While Assassin’s Creed Origins may begin with a tentative 84-hour journey, Odyssey and Valhalla take a definitive lead, boasting a rich narrative that spans nearly 140 hours.
The Elder Scrolls | Morrowind / Oblivion / Skyrim
The legendary RPG series continues to captivate fans with its rich, open worlds filled with hundreds of activities, numerous side quests, and an incredible degree of freedom. In these games, you can embody any hero, enhance a variety of skills, and navigate through the complex mazes of caves, portals, islands, and more.
Calculating the total duration of each project, including all the released add-ons, is quite challenging. Nevertheless, these thrilling adventures are sure to extend over hundreds of hours.
Divinity | Original Sin and Divinity | Original Sin 2
Old-school party RPGs offer cooperative playthroughs where you can journey with a full company through a fantasy world, complete a multitude of quests, and engage in tactical battles, experimenting with various combinations of combat skills in practice.
The gameplay of these games is incredibly diverse and complex, ensuring extended hours of engagement. For instance, playing Divinity | Original Sin 2, along with all its additional content, can take upwards of 150 hours.
Total War | Three Kingdoms and Total War | Warhammer
Each installment in this series of global strategy games is notable for its expansive scope. Three Kingdoms invites players to immerse themselves in the tumultuous Three Kingdoms era and embark on an epic journey. These adventures can extend to as much as 400 hours, with all the resulting implications. In comparison, its predecessor, Total War | Warhammer, requires several hundred hours more to fully traverse its fantasy universe.
Baldur’s Gate III
One of the most eagerly awaited RPGs of 2023 has fully lived up to the expectations of its appreciative fans. The game promises a vivid adventure brimming with diverse events and experiences. Boredom is not an option, especially considering the length of the game. The main storyline alone will take around 70 hours to complete, while the entire journey, including additional quests and side stories, will require over 150 hours.
Days Gone
An action-adventure game featuring a captivating and lengthy story, uncommon for its genre. The protagonist, a courageous biker, struggles to survive in a zombie-infested post-apocalyptic world while searching for his lost love.
The game’s plot is far from brief, primarily because of the extensive array of main and side quests. Completing the entire story, along with additional exploration, will take around 65 hours.
Dying Light 2
A parkour-based zombie action game with RPG elements teaches various survival strategies in a post-apocalyptic world. In this game, players must either confront mutants or evade them at night, search for fellow survivors, and collectively combat the encroaching zombie hordes.
Despite the developers’ announcement of 500 hours of gameplay, skepticism arose instantly. In reality, completing the game’s tasks requires at most 100 hours, which is still notably impressive.
Fallout 4 and New Vegas
Escaping the nuclear wasteland immediately is simply not an option. It’s worthwhile to remain, not just to undergo quarantine and receive a radiation antidote. In Fallout 4, you’ll find an action-packed world where you can explore, establish settlements, and much more.
The extensive plot, among other features, will offer a variety of secondary quests. It won’t be possible to breeze through all the adventures quickly – you’re looking at around 150 hours of gameplay.
Which game holds the record for you in terms of time spent “hanging out” in its world? Share your experiences in the comments!
