Games With Enormous Main Quests

by

Since not everyone has the means to purchase every newly released game, it’s now a good opportunity to revisit titles that provide great value by offering extensive main quests filled with numerous hours of entertainment.

Typically, Role-Playing Games (RPGs) tend to have the longest playtime when it comes to a continuous storyline. In contrast, while you can certainly relish each round of a multiplayer shooter game such as Fortnite for a prolonged period, theoretically speaking, there’s no end to your gaming years.

These games offer such a wealth of content that you could spend multiple days, or even weeks, delving into every hidden corner, based on your curiosity level as a player.

To gather information for scientific purposes, we obtained the total playtime for the primary narrative in every game from the website How Long To Beat. While some players may complete it quickly and others might require more time, all the listed durations here are significantly extensive.

10. Pillars Of Eternity & Deadfire

Main Story Length: 78 Hours (36H + 42H)

For those seeking a traditional CRPG experience enhanced with contemporary features, look no further than the two Pillars of Eternity games. These titles not only carry on the essence of the old Black Isle Studios series, but they allow you to transfer your character from the initial game to the sequel.

In simpler terms, the initial Pillars of Eternity game followed typical fantasy themes, featuring players on a mission to save their realm, which is unique as it involves the continuous cycle of soul reincarnation.

In the second game, players are taken on an exciting voyage across vast open waters, transforming themselves into rogue pirates who wreak havoc in magical ocean realms.

Fans of the world explored in Pillars of Eternity will find more of that captivating environment in Avowed, as it shares the same setting but does not follow the narrative directly from where Pillars left off.

9. Elden Ring

Main Story Length: 60 Hours

There’s no denying that Elden Ring is the biggest FromSoftware game to date.

Players who focus solely on the primary storyline missions can expect numerous hours of gameplay ahead, since they need to conquer crucial enemies to gain access to the path leading to the ultimate boss.

The thing is, only speedrunners are going to be able to accomplish that.

People who don’t have enough time to fully immerse themselves in one game won’t reach a level of mastery that allows them to dodge every attack and flawlessly counter every boss.

In other words, they’ll need to delve into The Lands Between, accumulating the experience and equipment necessary to achieve their objectives. This process can consume quite a bit of time.

8. Pathfinder: Wrath Of The Righteous

Main Story Length: 56 Hours

It’s not surprising at all that a game based on a large tabletop role-playing campaign would appear on the list, considering that playing Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is more like embarking on a lengthy journey.

In the realm of Golarian, as told through the Pathfinder Role Playing Game, the main character enters the city of Kenabres on a fateful day when it is overrun by a horde of demons.

Luckily, they’re the chosen ones, given the power to fight back the fiends or perhaps control them.

Completing Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous requires considerable effort due to its extensive gameplay, hence the lengthy duration it takes to finish this game.

In essence, each playthrough offers a unique experience due to the various Mythic Paths that significantly alter both the narrative and the party composition. Consequently, exploring all possibilities could require considerable time.

7. Persona 5 Royal

Main Story Length: 101 Hours

Originally, Persona 5 was an extensive game that spanned an entire school year, as its captivating narrative unfolded. Completing the Phantom Thieves’ odyssey was no small feat.

It seems that the creative team at Atlus took the original version, extended it with a new semester, and incorporated a significant amount of additional gameplay into it.

Apart from significantly extending the final part, additional sections were also interwoven throughout the initial narrative structure.

Spending time to watch the credits of Persona 5 Royal is highly recommended, for it ranks among the greatest role-playing games produced in recent times, if not the very best. By the conclusion, you’ll find yourself yearning for additional adventures alongside the Phantom Thieves.

6. Final Fantasy XIV

Main Story Length: 252 Hours (And Growing)

While it might seem like a shortcut to include an MMO in this context, Final Fantasy XIV stands out because it offers a unified storyline that players collectively discover, each assuming the role of their personal Warrior of Light.

Summarizing the tale of Final Fantasy XIV within a solitary paragraph is an impossible feat, given its immense scale and intricate storyline. Essentially, it’s a sprawling, epic adventure filled with numerous quests that might seem like chores to some, taking up valuable time which could be allocated towards other meaningful activities in life.

By the time the player advances to level 100, a portion of their finite lifespan will be spent on preserving their piece of Eorzea from impending doom.

Given the widespread appeal of Final Fantasy XIV, it seems improbable that its story will come to an end any time in the near future.

With the Dawntrail expansion unveiling fresh territories across multiple dimensions, the epic saga of Eorzea’s champion will unfold for many years yet.

5. The Mass Effect Trilogy

Main Story Length: 108 Hours

In a sense, it’s more than just a single game, offering the experience of three interconnected stories. Yet, very few games have managed to replicate the joy of resuming a saved progress in a follow-up title quite like Mass Effect does.

In gaming history, there’s arguably no greater science fiction tale than the heroic struggle of Commander Shepard against the Reapers.

The legendary saga of Commander Shepard battling the Reapers could be the most impressive sci-fi story ever told in video games.

Witnessing the ebb and flow of human civilization under the cosmic spotlight, as an inexorable extraterrestrial danger reemerges with intent to exterminate almost all Earthly life forms, offers an unparalleled level of excitement akin to that found in a grand game.

Full disclosure: the ending isn’t great, even with the improvements added over time.

In essence, Mass Effect focuses on the adventure rather than the final outcome. If having an exceptional ending significantly contributes to one’s pleasure from the game, they may prefer not to embark on Commander Shepard’s story.

4. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Main Story Length: 51 Hours

Dragon Age: Inquisition is an ideal choice for those who love open-world adventures, offering a vast array of quests to accomplish and locations to discover. However, there’s such an abundance of content that it can be overwhelming, making it crucial for players to manage their time effectively by balancing main story progression with side activities to avoid exhaustion.

In the realm of Thedas, there arise rips in the veil, permitting creatures from other dimensions to unleash chaos and destruction throughout the world.

The main character possesses the unique ability to seal these fissures; thus, they ascend to leadership within the Inquisition, embarking on a quest to prevent global annihilation.

Although all Dragon Age games are substantial, Inquisition stands out as the most grandiose, as it presents an impending cataclysm of truly epic proportions.

Instead of a Darkspawn rebellion that the Grey Wardens need to handle, this is an apocalypse brought about by magical forces, and it’s the player’s responsibility to put a stop to it.

3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Main Story Length: 51 Hours

Poor Ciri. While Geralt is persistently striving to rescue her from the relentless Wild Hunt, he’s constantly drawn aside by diversions such as Gwent games, encounters with former lovers, and chances to slay monsters along his journey. I hope she has some useful apps on her phone for times like these.

With utter sincerity, it’s worth noting that The Witcher 3 is an enormous game, the type that easily captivates players as they lose themselves in its vast world, meticulously searching for hidden corners and uncovering secret nooks.

The land is as gorgeous as it is deadly, with supernatural horrors waiting in every sunny glade.

Let me emphasize that not only does the main game deliver an exceptional experience, but the two superb downloadable content expansions significantly enhance it as well. These DLCs are equally crucial to fully immersing yourself in the world of The Witcher 3.

2. Baldur’s Gate 3

Main Story Length: 70 Hours

In simpler terms, the captivating nature of Baldur’s Gate 3 often leads players to begin fresh games and make different choices, resulting in some individuals not completing the game entirely.

The allure of the Druid’s Grove and the Goblin Camp is just too much for some people.

It’s disappointing that Baldur’s Gate 3’s lengthy narrative is brimming with excellent scenes, particularly at the game’s conclusion where it offers some of the most challenging battles. In these tough fights, players can unleash an array of fantastic high-level skills and spells to their heart’s content.

Few players advance very far because they find it hard to resist clicking the ‘New Game’ button, instead opting to return to the Illithid ship for yet another attempt. They vow that this time they will complete the game – truly!

1. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age

Main Story Length: 57 Hours

It seems like the ending, but it’s actually only halfway through a long and intriguing narrative.

Just as I found myself utterly engrossed by the expansive world of Persona 5 Royal, Dragon Quest XI S has taken things up a notch, significantly enriching my journey with a plethora of new content. This only served to extend an already vast adventure to jaw-dropping proportions.

In summary, the addition to the plot seamlessly fits. It’s no surprise given Dragon Quest XI’s stellar status within the series. Even with numerous encounters that might seem random, it’s still a rewarding journey, especially for fans who enjoy minigames and are eager to collect exciting items through grinding.

Read More

2025-03-09 17:10