How long is too long?

The problem? Length. Okami has already consumed over 40 hours of my gaming life. As unique as its visual presentation is (a combination of Japanese anime and traditional art), as compelling as its gameplay is (imagine something between Legend of Zelda and painting and you'll have a decent idea), as serene as its soundtrack is, I can't quite bring myself to finish it.

I know I will one day. I'll be bored and sitting at home alone and bothered by the fact an amazing game like this could possibly go unfinished under my watch and I'll bite the bullet to put in the extra 10 hours or so (my own loose estimation) to find out what happens at the game's end.

However, that doesn't change the fact this game is just too long. No doubt some will say that is unfair, that there are longer games out there. They'd be right. Heck, I've finished my fair share of longer games in my lifetime, like, for example, the very similar Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, which took me around 65 hours to complete, according to the game's internal clock.

However, in the nebulous world of adventure or single-player gaming, game length can be a tricky thing to measure. Games that repeatedly require the same type of actions on the part of a gamer to complete, or seem to have an eternally meandering, never-evolving story that hashes the same themes and tropes over and over, can seem much longer than they truly are. I think the latter is where Okami's problems began, at least for me.

On the other hand, games that may only take you about 10-15 hours to complete but have a compelling, ever-evolving gameplay system and/or engrossing storyline will never raise any criticism from yours truly.

Finding this balance can often be difficult for developers. Many are the gamers out there who believe that, for shelling around $50-$60 on a brand-new game, they should be rewarded with an experience lasting that long. On the other hand, the busier ones among us simply don't have the time for that kind of adventure and may hope the game reaches its conclusion somewhere around 20-25 hours (currently, my personal sweet spot).

Some solutions do exist out there. For years, developers have created multiple endings to story-heavy games, rewarding a player who reaches more goals during the game itself with the "best" one. Other game-lengthening techniques include what are derogatorily referred to as "fetch quests." These thinly veiled scavenger hunts for different items throughout the game world can quickly become rather boring, and, instead of "adding value" for the gamer, have the product earn their scorn instead.

Generally speaking, minus certain genres that almost demand a longer playtime by definition, such as role-playing games or strategy games, the trend these days seems to be toward shorter games, ones that last anywhere from seven to 20 hours. However, I'd hate for the lower end of the spectrum to become a standard. Seven hours? That's more like an appetizer than anything else.

Instead of having Okami sit in the Wii for months, I'd go through it, not remember a thing about what made it special, and throw it at the bottom of my gaming pile.