Shortest RPG?

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Reading the PA reviews, and having the game clock in at 7-8 hours made me think about whether there are any tight, enjoyable rpgs under 10 or even under 5 hours?
 
Wow, I don't see how an RPG could fit under 5 hours. Part of an RPG is getting stronger as the game goes on, and fleshing out the story, things that take some time.

Shortest I ever played was Panzer Dragoon Saga (I played the Japanese version). I didn't finish it (the language barrier killed it for me), but I played about 10 hours and was on the final disc (3 disc game), reviews put the game at under 20 hours (I want to say closer to 15)
 
Shortest is maybe Arc the Lad 1... though it was really more of a strategy RPG than anything... it was like 5-8 hours of fluff.
 
[quote name='sandrokstar']Fable is definitely the shortest I have played, one of the best too.[/QUOTE]

Fable is the shortest RPG I've played too and it was ok at best- especially after all the hype. I wouldn't call it anything above good though.

I can't think of any RPG that took me under 10 hours besides that one... I beat both Paper Mario and Paper Mario 1000 Year Door in about 20 hours, I think those would be the shortest after Fable.
 
[quote name='KingBroly']Some people have beaten FFXII in 6 hours. And supposedly a sub 4-hour speed run is coming.[/QUOTE]

Any videos of people finishing it in 6 hours? That's just insane...
 
Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest was incredibly short, as I recall. I have no idea on total hours.

I had no idea Final Fantasy XII could be beat so quick.
 
[quote name='Riyonuk']It really depends, games I've played before I can now beat within a day. Final Fantasy X, Golden Sun, etc.[/quote]
By "within a day" do you mean in under 24 hours or you can wake up and beat the game before you go to sleep that night? That's impressive either way (I'm referring to FFX, I don't know about GS) but the second way would be nuts.
 
[quote name='Chacrana']Shortest is maybe Arc the Lad 1... though it was really more of a strategy RPG than anything... it was like 5-8 hours of fluff.[/QUOTE]

This. The whole game was 5 hours long if you rushed through it... and that's on the first playthrough.
 
Super Mario Rpg was incredibly short when i went back to it a few yrs back. took me less than half a day to finish. maybe ~10 hours +/-...
 
[quote name='KingBroly']Some people have beaten FFXII in 6 hours. And supposedly a sub 4-hour speed run is coming.[/quote]Yikes, isn't 12 supposed to be a... 60+ hour or so game?
 
There are plenty of short rpgs that are 10 hours or less on normal play through without speed run.

A couple factor comes into play like

The length of Story
It depends on three big factors- cut scenes, dialog and detail. All of them are pretty self explanatory. Now a days games are loaded with cut scenes, so it's more common to find shorter games in the past. Some developer don't think a story is necessary when 90-99% of video game involves the protagonist saving the world.


Pacing
This category is based on combat system, animation sequence and experience growth rate/rare item drop rate.

In typical Japanese Rpg(JRPG), uses a slow pace combat system that is turn based. While, American Rpg uses a faster pace combat system that is more of hack and slash action rpg.

Experience or rare drop plays a big roll in speed. If a game is really easy to get uber weapons or experience, you die a lot less and beat most of bosses with relative ease. Animation is huge factor when you have to see the dam attack over and over again. Most JRPG have those fancy over-the-top attack sequences like Final Fantasy summons/limit breaks or Super Robot Taisen. In American Rpg have far less due to action rpg combat system. It's too fast pace. When you do a special attack on Western Rpg you will see a far smaller animation sequence. American programmers think attack sequence is too much fluff. Do you really need to see your character jump from the skies to grab a meteor and toss at your enemy, while dealing partial damage? No

Content
This category is based on extra missions/sidequests and town exploration(talking to town people and moving around the city).

If you have less people to talk to and ignore most extra missions or sidequest your game clock will reduce as well. It's far easier to beat a game then to complete. Some games don't even have town exploration anymore, instead they uses a point a click system. Once your enter a town you will see a menu appear which mainly consits of shop, save/load feature and talking to town people.



A few games I could name
-Final Fantasy 1(Dawn of Souls)
-Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Rings of Fate
-Marvel Ultimate Alliance
-X Men Legends 1
-X Men Legends 2
-Arc the Lad 1
-threads of fate
-summoning night 1
-fable
-rhapsody
-Baldur's gate 1(very close or borderline 10 hours)
-Baludr's gate 2(very close or borderline 10 hours)
-Champions of Norrath(very close or borderline 10 hours)
-Champions of Norrath Return to Arms(very close or borderline 10 hours)
-Jade Empire
-Sudeki
-Gurumin
 
[quote name='daschrier']I beat Suikoden 1 with all stars in 12 hours.[/QUOTE]

You can do that with any RPG if you use a guide and just speed your way through. I remember Suikoden 1 being short but I know it took me around 30 hours with around 100 stars. There is no way in hell you could go through Suikoden and find all the stars without a guide or FAQ in 30 hours your first play through let alone in 12 hrs. Arc the Lad was short but it still was about 10 - 11 hours doing a couple side quests and leveling up a few times but 2nd play you can zip right through. Back in the day I never rushed through RPG because you only got 2 - 4 good ones a year and not much of a back catalog because you played all of the good ones when they came out.

The reason I bring up playing with a guide and first play troughs is that most will beat Penny Arcade under 10 hours without a guide on their first play through unlike most of the games mentioned above. Arc the Lad would make the list but here it came out in the bundle so it is like complaining that you can beat Portal in 8 hours.
 
[quote name='daroga']Yikes, isn't 12 supposed to be a... 60+ hour or so game?[/quote]

Yeah...I'm like 51 or 52 hours in, and I still feel that I'm nowhere close to beating it.
 
Mass Effect -- My first or second play through of the game clocked in about 10 hours and change. Granted that was not exploring many of the solar systems, outside of the main quest, but many of those were boring anyway.
 
I think Evolution was kind of short. I think I went through the first volume in about 15 hours.

Can't remember for sure, that feels like ages ago.
 
[quote name='mrchainsaw']By "within a day" do you mean in under 24 hours or you can wake up and beat the game before you go to sleep that night? That's impressive either way (I'm referring to FFX, I don't know about GS) but the second way would be nuts.[/quote]

Well I meant in one sitting. Final Fantasy X is one of my favorite games, and I've played it literally over 200 times. I just love it :)

Now with Golden Sun, I can also beat it in one sitting, but that's because I know all the glitches and enemy weaknesses. And by beating it, I mean without side quests or 100% item collection.
 
Metal Saga can be over in 15 minutes or so if you choose to get married.

.Hack GU 1 seemed very short and I did most of the extra stuff available (that's the only .hack game I've played, but I suspect many of the others are probably even shorter)
 
Parasite Eve is the shortest enjoyable RPG I've played. I think it took me between 10 and 15 hours to complete the first time through. I hear a lot of people have finished it in under 10 hours.
 
The bioware console RPGs can be pretty short, if you don't worry about too many side missions and play on easy, KOTOR, Jade Empire and Mass Effect are all sub-20 hours.
 
I remember Chrono Trigger being pretty short back in the day, something in the order of 15 - 20 hours. It had high replayability (at least for me) so all things being said and done I think I sunk over 100 hours into it.

To me though, Chrono Trigger is the essence of a short and rock solid RPG.
 
[quote name='Riyonuk']Well I meant in one sitting. Final Fantasy X is one of my favorite games, and I've played it literally over 200 times. I just love it :)

Now with Golden Sun, I can also beat it in one sitting, but that's because I know all the glitches and enemy weaknesses. And by beating it, I mean without side quests or 100% item collection.[/QUOTE]

What glitches/weaknesses are you talking about?
 
[quote name='Jack']Parasite Eve is the shortest enjoyable RPG I've played. I think it took me between 10 and 15 hours to complete the first time through. I hear a lot of people have finished it in under 10 hours.[/QUOTE]

This. I just played through this for the first time last month. I was able to beat the game in about 9 hours. Good game.
 
[quote name='Moxio']What glitches/weaknesses are you talking about?[/quote]

Item duplication, Level Grinding, and by weaknesses I mean elemental weaknesses, which Djin do the most damage.
 
[quote name='Black Edge']I remember Chrono Trigger being pretty short back in the day, something in the order of 15 - 20 hours. It had high replayability (at least for me) so all things being said and done I think I sunk over 100 hours into it.

To me though, Chrono Trigger is the essence of a short and rock solid RPG.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, it was... I beat it 100% in like 20 hours and some minutes though for the sidequests/extras, I did use a guide. Same with FFVI, beat it in 21 hours but again, used a guide for the extras.
 
Jade Empire is probably the shortest RPG I have ever played. I finished it the first time in around 9 hours. Second time I finished it in around 5 hours.
 
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales is unusually short. It's not a traditional RPG, maybe not even an RPG as much as a card game, but definitely short. I beat it in two sittings.
 
[quote name='Riyonuk']Item duplication, Level Grinding, and by weaknesses I mean elemental weaknesses, which Djin do the most damage.[/QUOTE]

Item duplication? Teh?
 
[quote name='dwhelan']Mass Effect -- My first or second play through of the game clocked in about 10 hours and change. Granted that was not exploring many of the solar systems, outside of the main quest, but many of those were boring anyway.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I did Mass Effect in like 8-12 hours and know I could cut it down further if needed (probably to 6 on a quick play through)
 
There are a lot of short PC RPGs if you know what doing. I can beat Fallout 1 in a few hours just because I know where to go. You can get that water chip without even gaining a level
 
[quote name='Dr Mario Kart']Rhapsody is supposed to be clearable in under 5 or 6 hours. Its only good if you want to see how NIS' developments have evolved through time.[/QUOTE]



never got to play but my wife loved it
 
When I was a kid I remember almost beating Chrono Trigger in one sitting. But used a New Game + with everyone at extremly high levels. The game was a breeze. I may have clocked in at 10 hours.

Arc the Lad 1 is an honorable mention. I took my time with it, did the extra 100 floor dungeon and still clocked in under 12 hours. Kinda funny since Arc 2 was 10x longer.
 
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