History Main / ItsShortSoItSucks

* A major criticism of ''WesternAnimation/HazbinHotel'''s first season is that it's only eight-episodes long, which many fans felt resulted in plotlines having little-to-no buildup (like the revelation that [[spoiler:Vaggie was an angel]]) and rushed or nonexistent character dynamics (such as Charlie's troubled relationship with dad).

Development time of a game often plays an important role. When an hour-long game had taken only three months to develop, then the length of the game is not usually paid attention to. However, when such a game would have taken over 10 years to develop, complaints about the game's length are more expected.

* ''Anime/Persona5TheAnimation'' is often criticized for this. [[VideoGame/{{Persona 5}} The game]] can easily take 100 hours to complete, but the anime only has 26 episodes that are each about 25 minutes long, plus two 50-minute OVAs, making the series about twelve and a half hours long, and resulting in numerous cuts. The pacing is significantly quickened, and important bits of exposition and CharacterDevelopment are cut out. Most Confidants who aren't party members or affiliated with the Velvet Room are DemotedToExtra, with the exception of Sojiro. The party tends to clear most dungeons in a montage, despite the fact that ''Persona 5'' featured more complex and elaborate dungeons than its predecessors. Some viewers consider this a poor adaptation, while others argue that it's a decent way to experience the story if you don't have time to play the game.

* One of the major criticisms against the ''Film/JonahHex'' movie is its 81-minute runtime (with about nine minutes of that being credits). Probably doesn't help that all of its action movie competitors are closer to 2 hours.

* One of the reasons people soured on ''TabletopGame/TIMEStories'' is that each expansion only contains one scenario that takes a few hours to play through. The only thing adding replayability is the GroundhogDayLoop mechanics where you're penalized for picking the wrong options and will have to remember then for the next loop, which started feeling like FakeLongevity once the novelty wore off.

* A frequent criticism levied by WebVideo/MauLer towards other reviewers and video essayists. He feels that the ten to twenty-minute format often used by essayists is often insufficient for them to meaningfully argue their thesis or points they present in their videos. They simply do not afford themselves the time to support their arguments with supporting details and evidence. The inverse of this happens with [=MauLer’s=] critics, citing that the videos he makes are too long and sometimes go longer than the movie or show he is critiquing, thus creating a meme known as "long man bad".

Additionally, long games tend to satiate the player after a single playthrough, leading to the mentality of “oh, I'll put this game away or sell it.” In comparison, shorter, arcade-like games, due to being designed specifically around having high {{replay value}}, are less likely to do this. You may find yourself undergoing multiple playthroughs of such a game, with the total of those hours matching or even succeeding in zthe time you may have spent with that year's big AAA action-adventure title. Games for handheld consoles and mobile phones also fall under this idea of "short is good" since they're designed to allow for [[CasualVideoGame quick intermittent play while you're out on a normal day]] in contrast to the longer play sessions you may have on PC or console. This is further mitigated by handheld games commonly being cheaper.

* While there's some acclaimed short story authors, such as Creator/EdgarAllanPoe, Creator/AntonChekhov, Creator/JorgeLuisBorges and, more recently, Noble Prize winner Alice Munro, the format in general is often regarded as "inferior" in literary circles and is much harder to be picked by publishers due to the public in general preferring novels to short story collections.

Secondly, as gamers grow older and chose to continue the hobby, they find that adulthood has more time-consuming responsibilities and complications than childhood: college/university, work, family life, and paying for your own necessities of food, water and shelter leaves you with less time to play games, to say nothing of leaving you with less money to buy them. As such, there are a good amount of people who [[SugarWiki/SoShortItRocks actually prefer a shorter game]] that can be beaten in a few days, or even hours, so they can get on with more urgent aspects of their lives, or at least move on to the next game (or the NewGamePlus, or whatever post-game content is available in the present one).

Additionally, long games tend to satiate the player after a single playthrough, leading to the mentality of “oh, I'll put this game away or sell it.” In comparison, shorter, arcade-like games, due to being designed specifically around having high {{replay value}}, are less likely to do this. You may find yourself undergoing multiple playthroughs of such a game, with the total of those hours matching or even succeeding the time you may have spent with that year's big AAA action-adventure title. Games for handheld consoles and mobile phones also fall under this idea of "short is good", since they're designed to allow for [[CasualVideoGame quick intermittent play while you're out on a normal day]] in contrast to the longer play sessions you may have on PC or console. This is further mitigated by handheld games commonly being cheaper.

* While there's some acclaimed short story authors, such as Creator/EdgarAllanPoe, Creator/AntonChekhov, Creator/JorgeLuisBorges and, more recently, Noble Prize winner Alice Munro, the format in general is often regarded as "inferior" in literary circles and is much harder to be picked by publishers due to the public in general prefering novels to short story collections.

** In the '80s the series actually moved to something closer to the current format with an experiment during the Colin Baker era of splitting stories into two 45-minute episodes (as is done now) and with a few Peter Davison stories clocking in at two 25-minute episodes (not much longer than a stand-alone 45-min episode from post-2005 series). Another thing worth mentioning is that, especially in the Eccleston and Tennant eras, there were complaints that some writers (often those who grew up watching the 63-89 run) were scripting stories that were more suited to 4x25mins rather than a single 45min episode meaning that sub-plots were resolved extremely quickly, there was poignant dwelling on the death of characters the viewer had only known for about 15 minutes, etc, etc.
* A recurring complaint about the [[SeasonalRot last two seasons]] of ''Series/GameOfThrones'', though particularly Season 8, was the shorter length; all the other seasons had ten episodes each, while Season 7 had seven episodes and Season 8 just six. Many viewers felt this resulted in storylines being rushed through to wrap things up in time, leading to perceived {{Plot Hole}}s, CharacterDerailment, {{Aborted Arc}}s, {{Ass Pull}}s and an overall unsatisfactory outcome for a long and complex story. A common belief is that the last season would've worked better if they'd taken the time to develop the plots more.

* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'' had this for two seasons in a row. Season 17, ''Singularity'', while well-liked got criticism for being the shortest season yet, with only 12 episodes, most of whom weren't longer than usual. Season 18, ''Zero'', was even shorter with 8, while trying to introduce a whole new cast and still dedicate most of the running time to [[ActionizedSequel flashy action scenes]] alongside the plot, and as a result, the pacing is very off, some moments feeling too slow and others moving a mile a minute, with none of the characters getting the time to properly explore their characterization.

* Each book/season of the [[GenreAnthology sci-fi anthology]] series ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'' is only ten, 11-minute episodes long. Some fans like the brevity of each story arc, feeling they allow the plots to be succinctly told without overstaying their welcome and that they make recommending the show much easier due to the smaller time commitment. Others believe that 110 minutes' worth of episodes for each season results in the conclusions to each arc coming across as too rushed at times, and leaves far too much story potential with any given cast of characters unrealized.

** ''Revenge of the Island'' lasted 13 episodes, as half as long as the 26 episode seasons (not counting the 27th episode specials in ''Island'' and ''Action'', or the former season's big recap before the finale), and (besides the point that it mirrors the head count of 13 contestants) it's often blamed for having rushed plotlines (specifically, a double elimination).

''This page is not about [[Administrivia/ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontLike complaining about games that are too short]]. This is when the fandom (or {{hatedom}}) and reviewers make the complaint.''

!!Non-Video Game Examples

!!Video Game Examples:
[[folder:Action Adventure]]
* ''VideoGame/BeyondGoodAndEvil'' also seemed to mostly avert this, getting very good reviews despite its length. It was a commercial disaster, however, which may have been partly a result of this.
* ''VideoGame/GhostbustersTheVideoGame'': The only serious criticism of the game was that it was only about five hours long on top of having relatively little replayability since it was so easy to find all the hidden stuff and max out all your abilities in a single playthrough.
* ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows: Part 2'' can be finished in just a couple of hours... which means you could watch [[Film/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows the movie it's based on]] in the same timeframe and [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames have a more enjoyable experience]].
* ''VideoGame/{{ICO}}''. 6 hours or so on a first playthrough -- maybe 8 or 10 if you just sit around [[SceneryPorn watching the scenery]] -- and it can be finished in 2 ½ hours on a replay. It's still regarded as a ''very'' fine example of the genre. Hilariously enough, the HD version of ''Ico'' has a trophy for beating the game in under 2 hours. There are other games with speedrun trophies (like ''VideoGame/GodOfWarI'' HD for 5 hours) but never before was it two freaking hours. Even the developers acknowledge the game's short length.
* ''VideoGame/MirrorsEdge''[='=]s story is approximately six hours long, but it can take much longer to master each level in {{Speedrun}} mode. Ironically, once you get good at ''Mirror's Edge'', it is over that much faster. The game is about running after all. Speedruns on Website/YouTube can clock in at under half an hour, skipping cutscenes and loading times.
* Anyone who says this about a VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame has obviously never tried to get OneHundredPercentCompletion.
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'' faced criticism for not taking too long to complete. Despite having a total of nine dungeons and four mini-dungeons, plus a bonus dungeon in its Game Boy Color and Nintendo Switch versions, the game could be beaten in up to ten hours. This is attributed to the overworld being smaller in comparison to other ''Zelda'' entries and having little-to-no sidequests.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' got this because the main quest doesn't take too long thanks to having only four main dungeons plus the Moon. However, defenders point out that much of the content lies in the abundance of side quests. Additionally, the dungeons themselves take a while to complete and there are some lengthy pre-requisites to even ''get into'' the dungeons.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' received some accusations of having a short length for its main quest (only seven dungeons instead of the usual nine[[note]]There were plans to add two more dungeons, but they had to be dropped due to time constraints[[/note]]), even with the [[{{Padding}} sailing]] and the Triforce Chart quest. The HD remake makes said short length more noticeable by adding a special sail to speed up sailing and cutting down the Triforce quest. Defenders argue that the game still provides plenty of side quests and mini-dungeons to extend the actual gameplay, including several optional islands.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap'' got this flak as it only has six dungeons and a single mini-dungeon. Compare that to the earlier [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames portable]] [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening entries]], all of which had the usual nine dungeons plus, depending on which game being played, up to four mini-dungeons.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds'', despite having as many dungeons as ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link To The Past]]'', got this response due to the item rental system allowing for quicker progression than usual. Defenders argue that the game has no less content than its handheld predecessors and just got rid of the FakeLongevity that plagued previous titles.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': While the game is overall much longer than any previous ''Zelda'' game, this is accomplished by loading the game up on optional content and downplaying the main story. Thus, the main story on its own often gets this criticism from fans who prefer the longer main stories of previous [=3D=] ''Zelda'' games. This is due to the main quest consisting of only four main dungeons, each of which are very small on their own, one final dungeon which consists of many optional segments and little required ones, and very brief pre-dungeon quests to open the way to each dungeon.
** The SpinOff[=/=]{{crossover}} game ''VideoGame/CadenceOfHyrule'' tends to get this, with its main story campaign being pretty short even in comparison to other games in the {{Roguelike}} genre; while it has a decently-sized overworld, the game boasts only six dungeons, four of which consist of only two floors and a boss fight. Defenders argue that the short length and various alternate game modes and campaigns lend themselves to a high replayability that makes up for this.
* ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion1'': One massive criticism was it having exactly four areas in the game and being over in about a day's worth of gameplay. This criticism was addressed for the sequels.
* Some people complained that ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden: Dragon Sword'' could be completed in 6-8 hours. However, this didn't really affect its actual reception.
* ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheColossus'' is very short, roughly 7 hours but only if it's your second (and so on) playthrough. Because in your first one you probably didn't know how to kill the Colossus, so one battle could easily spanned for 1-2 hours. It is after all, also a puzzle game.
* ''VideoGame/TombRaiderLegend''. Even the developers themselves later said that the game was too short and subsequent games would be longer. ''Anniversary'' was indeed much longer (though still half the length of the game it was remaking). However, ''Underworld'' wasn't much longer than ''Legend'' and got the same complaints.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Action Games]]
* Averted by ''VideoGame/GodOfWarI''; despite its short length, it has garnered mostly positive reviews. As ''Series/XPlay'' put it: "Sure, it's a little short, but we dare you to only play it once!"
** Intentionally invoked by [[WordOfGod David Jaffe]], who felt that it was better to offer a 10-hour game with no dead spots or backtracking as opposed to a game twice that length filled with un-fun padding. To stretch out replay value, the game offered higher difficulties and challenge modes to test players when it came to the intricate combat system.
** Just like the example above with ''Ico'', the developers seem to acknowledge the game's short length, since one of the trophies requires you to beat the game in under 5 hours. Unlike ''Ico'' though, you can easily beat the game well under the time limit by not fighting enemies unless you really have to (there's actually a surprising number of enemies that don't need to be fought) and obtaining a costume to give you infinite magic (or by exploiting a GoodBadBug for the same result) and just spam magic on all required enemies. It helps that if you die and have to restart from a checkpoint, the timer restarts from the checkpoint too, useful when doing those particularly tricky puzzles. If that's not enough, you can exploit GoodBadBugs to skip a few segments of the game.
** PSP prequel ''Chains of Olympus'' did get this, though, since it was roughly 1/3 to 1/2 the size of the other games. Got a bit of fun [[LampshadeHanging Lamshading]] in the CompilationReRelease on the [=PS3=]--the achievement for completing ''[=CoO=]'' is “[[SelfDeprecation It's Over Already?]]”
* ''VideoGame/NightsIntoDreams'' is only seven levels long, and was criticized for this as a result.
* ''VideoGame/OnimushaWarlords'' is ''ridiculously'' short, clocking in at only around 4 hours long, or even ''less'' if you know what you're doing.
* ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'', the video game, got this complaint (among others; it's a video game of a movie). On the one hand, it's unadulterated Wolverine, brutally slashing people to death and ripping them apart and stabbing them with scenery and yay! On the other, it's repetitive and can be finished in 7 hours and boo.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Adventure Games]]
* A common criticism of ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'' was how short it was. The game can easily be finished in less than 10 hours. The sequel gets it even worse, as it's even shorter.
* This is the single most common criticism against ''VideoGame/FullThrottle'' (that, and [[ItsEasySoItSucks its simple puzzles]]). Cinematic storyteller, cool characterization, great ''Film/MadMax''-like setting, but it's all over before the player knows it.
* One of the major criticisms of ''VideoGame/GoneHome'' is the extremely short length of the game coupled with little to no replay value. You can actually beat the game in under a minute if you know what you're doing (they even added an achievement for doing so), and potentially ''accidentally'' beat it in under five on a blind playthrough if you're a diligent explorer (and if you're playing an adventure game, you probably are). The key to the final room (the attic) is found in a secret room behind a fake wall almost directly across from the front door where you start the game. It's not locked, and the game even prompts you to open it if you go up to it, even if you haven't played through the story up to the point where you would be told about it. A first time player with no prior knowledge could easily discover this room by complete accident before doing anything else, get the key, go straight to the attic (because the game tells you what the key is for), and beat the game without even realizing that they just skipped about 99% of it.
* Due to being the first episodic game in the series, some VideoGame/MonkeyIsland fans felt that ''VideoGame/TalesOfMonkeyIsland'' was too short… even though if you play each chapter back-to-back, it's probably the ''longest'' game in the series.
%%Explain this. * ''VideoGame/TheNeverhood''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Beat Em Ups]]
* ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath'' received criticism for its story being only 6 to seven hours. Migitated somehow by the episodic formula it has, as well as some future DLC that adds in a few chapters amongst other new stuff.
* ''VideoGame/MadWorld'' receives criticism for this, as single playthroughs of the game's storyline tend to average at around four hours.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:First Person Shooter]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield 4}}'' got slammed for this, with a campaign that is merely 7 missions long and plagued with bugs. Most Youtube playthroughs of the campaign can barely crack 3 or 4 hours.
* ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'':
** ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' has been criticized for this, as the single-player only lasts for about six hours. Infinity Ward has actually responded to this criticism, saying that the story largely came first and they designed the game around it without for the effect this would have on the length, because they specifically wanted to avoid artificially padding it out. ''Modern Warfare 2'' has a similar length for the same reasons, but a new co-op gametype is being introduced, with scenarios based on ideas suggested for the single-player campaign that were ultimately left out because there wasn't any good place or good reasons to put them in.
** ''[[GaidenGame Declassified]]'', the UsefulNotes/PlaystationVita tie-in between the first ''Black Ops'' and the second, can have its entire campaign completed in ''under an hour'' if you can handle the [[DifficultySpike random spikes in difficulty]].
** It's pretty clear that ''Modern Warfare 2'' [[FollowTheLeader started a trend]]. Every ''Call of Duty'' game released after 2009 has had a pretty short campaign ranging from 4 to 6 hours, and so has many other military-style FPS games since. The ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor'' reboot and the later ''Battlefield'' games come to mind. Presumably the developers have realized that the real meat of the game lies in multiplayer so it just isn't worth it to have a long campaign anymore.
* ''VideoGame/TheConduit'' has accused of not being worth $50 due to only having a few hours worth of single player as the developers admitted, no split-screen multiplayer, and being stuck with the Wii's overprotective online multiplayer matchmaking.
* ''Inverted'' with the original ''VideoGame/DeusEx'', which was explicitly designed as a return to longer in-depth gameplay, leading critics to complain that they never found time to finish it or use half the features. The story pacing and quality of the level design in the later parts of the game were also heavily criticized by fans and even some of the original developers. The criticism ''was'' present with [[VideoGame/DeusExInvisibleWar the sequel]] and the [[VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution prequel.]] [[VideoGame/DeusExTheFall The mobile spinoff]] got this too, but it was excused since it was a mobile game.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLifeBlueShift'' has received such complaints since it can be completed in as little as one to two hours, while the main game and preceding expansion ''VideoGame/HalfLifeOpposingForce'' take at least eight hours apiece. ''VideoGame/BlackMesaBlueShift'', a FanRemake built as a mod for ''VideoGame/BlackMesa'', aims to avert this with expanded levels and a more fleshed out narrative and cast of characters; the four currently released chapters, which comprise the first half of the story, can take upwards of four hours to complete due to these enhancements.
* The Australian gaming show ''Series/GoodGame'' gave ''[[Franchise/{{Halo}} Halo 3: ODST]]'' an average review due to the reviewers claiming to have beaten the game in co-op on legendary in 4 1/2 hours.
* ''VideoGame/{{Homefront}}'' has a tiny 3-4 hour single-player campaign, which means that you're basically buying it for the multiplayer, and at the time that was already being done bigger and better in ''Bad Company 2''.
* ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'':
** The game is accused of being too short for only having 20 maps (5 maps per campaign) and a minimal storyline. Each campaign takes about 20 minutes to a little over an hour, depending on difficulty and [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard the AI director's mood]]. Then again, the meat of the game is in its online multiplayer and the randomization of item and monster spawn locations.
** With Valve announcing the following campaign, Crash Course, only being 2 maps long in order to make VS mode faster and more decisive so that people wouldn't quit when losing, fans naturally complained that the campaign was too short and that Valve were [[StopHavingFunGuys appealing to scrubs for trying to make VS mode more fair]]. The criticism only accentuated since its release: Both maps can take around 15 minutes each to complete and are a bit longer than a standard map that takes 10 minutes each. The finale is tougher than the other finales, which will cause restarts.
* ''VideoGame/{{Painkiller}}: Resurrection'' caught lots of flak for being only '''six''' levels long (each of which taking 30 minutes to beat ''tops''), whereas its predecessor came packed with up to 34 levels (counting the ExpansionPack), and even ''Overdose'' had 16 levels - and both games combined can be bought for half the price of ''Resurrection'', which was [[NeverTrustATrailer also initially advertised]] as having ''three'' new chapters instead of just one.
* ''VideoGame/PerilousWarp'' can be completed, on the average, under two hours (around 50 minutes for expert speedrunners, that is ''after'' killing every available mook), with secret areas countable on one hand. Because of it's brevity, the game suffers a bit from it's limited enemy design (you get some scorpions, humanoid alien brutes, a KingMook as it's sole boss, that's about it) and lack of weapon varieties.
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsRepublicCommando'' really, really suffered from this. However, some have argued it's a bit of an inversion – it's so good they wish it were longer.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Hack And Slash]]
* ''VideoGame/HeavenlySword'' only takes roughly 5 to 7 hours to complete. Considering that it was heavily marketed as Sony's new, big hit title which would be taking full advantage of the [=PS3=]'s capabilities, gamers were less than pleased.
* A common criticism regarding ''VideoGame/LollipopChainsaw'' was its incredibly short length. There are only six chapters in the game (seven if you count the Prologue), and each one takes about a half-hour to complete (sometimes longer). While the game was very well-received by general gamers ([[CriticalDissonance but not so much by critics]]), everyone agreed that it was far too short, and not worth $60.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'': gets this criticism quite a bit. Partially because, unless you listen to the completely optional Codec conversations, you never really get to know either Raiden or his team all that well. However, another criticism of the game is that it feels ''deceptively'' short. See, the game consists of a prologue mission, and then seven actual missions. The prologue is about 30 minutes long, and the first four actual missions are fairly lengthy, taking about 60-90 minutes to complete, and featured multiple boss fights along the way. Then mission 5 is a short walk down a linear street with only a few mobs of {{Mooks}} to fight. Mission 6 is just a boss fight and nothing else, and Mission 7 is a short trip through an Air Force base capped off by the FinalBoss. Ultimately, some fans were unhappy when it turned out the the first four (of seven) missions contained about 90 percent of the actual game.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:[=MMORPG=]s]]
* Less than two days after the ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' expansion pack ''Wrath of the Lich King'' was released, complaints were heard from people who had played it straight through and finished it within that time. However, some of those complaints were inaccurate, since many noted that the complainers had played the game straight through from beginning to end in marathon sessions – if they'd [[AntiPoopSocking played the game like human beings]], it would have taken a lot longer and they would have gotten more enjoyment out of it. The same complaints arose when fans learned that the third expansion pack, ''Cataclysm'', would raise the level cap from 80 to 85, as opposed to the ten-level increments added by the previous expansions.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Multiple]]
* thatgamecompany's titles have been met with this at least once, but of particular note comes ''VideoGame/Journey2012''. It takes around 80 minutes to beat the game, and about 2-3 hours for a player to earn all 14 trophies. In comparison, around one hour is how much time is needed to beat ''VideoGame/{{Flower}}'', which [[WordOfGod Jenova Chen]] said was a "interactive poem".
* Many players felt that the 2021 remake of the ''WesternAnimation/PinchcliffeGrandPrix'' LicensedGame cut so many of the original's mini-games that the game turned out too short to be worth the asking price of ~$45. This complaint overlaps with TheyChangedItNowItSucks, as many of these fans were also disappointed that a ~$45 game was missing a lot of the original's content.
* The Konami ''[=ReBirth=]'' line of UsefulNotes/WiiWare games get a fair bit of criticism because each of them only has five stages.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Party Games]]
* ''VideoGame/MarioPartyTheTop100'': One of the reasons for this game's mixed reviews happens to be a result of how short the game is: Minigame Island only lasts a couple of hours at most, Minigame Match only has one small board, and the other modes lack replayability without friends.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Platform Games]]
* ''VideoGame/TheAngryVideoGameNerdAdventures'' is much shorter than you'd expect for a game that initially cost $15. While its NintendoHard difficulty makes the game take longer, players who know what they're doing can beat the game in as little as a couple hours.
* This is one of the complaints critics have about ''VideoGame/{{Astal}}''. The critics have stated that, while ''Astal'' is a very colorful and creative game, it is a bit too short.
* The ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' titles released in 00s get this too, for lasting around 9-12 hours.
** [[OneHundredPercentCompletion Unless you plan to get every item, master every spell, and go through the extra game modes.]]
** With regards to the "classic" ''Castlevania'' games, ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaBloodlines'' is often criticized for having only six stages, compared to ''VideoGame/SuperCastlevaniaIV''[='=]s eleven and ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaRondoOfBlood''[='=]s twelve[[note]] (eight of which are visited on a given playthrough)[[/note]].
* ''VideoGame/ChameleonTwist 1'' and 2 suffer from this, both only having about 6 levels each. If you knew where all of the crowns/coins and carrots were, you could easily complete the game 100% in only 1-2 hours.
* ''VideoGame/GarfieldsFunFest'': The game was heavily criticized for being so short, one could complete it in ''half an hour'' (slightly longer if they're aiming for the fairly difficult achievements to unlock all Awards).
* ''VideoGame/{{Eversion}}'' did get this from a few reviews.
* ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'':
** ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'', a game that [[GameplayRoulette comprises many shorter games]], often falls prey to these complaints, as it can be beaten in about four hours.
** The second ''Kirby'' DS game, ''[[VideoGame/KirbySqueakSquad Squeak Squad]]'', can be beaten in a little over 3 hours under one sitting, assuming that you know where every treasure chest is and how to get it. Concerning the easiness of the series, even if the player doesn't know all the secrets and locations of the treasure chests, completing the game 100% isn't very hard at all.
** ''VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies'' caught a bit of flack from reviewers for its relatively short length for a Kirby game--it's only four worlds long, and even though the individual levels are longer than average, it's still trivial to complete the game 100% in about 2 or 3 hours.
* ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet 3''. The original game had 8 worlds with 3 levels each (4 for the Gardens because of the Introduction and 4 for the Wilderness because of the BossOnlyLevel) and 3 side levels. The second game had 6 worlds with 5 levels each (6 for Da Vinci's Hideout because of the Introduction) and 3 side levels. This game has only 4 worlds with 5 levels each and at least 2 side levels (5 for Manglewood, 3 for the Ziggurat, and none in the Prologue). However, thanks to the [[DynamicLoading Dynamic Thermometer setting]], the levels are longer than they used to be. One contributing factor is how little time the player gets to spend with the three new characters. They are only given a handful of levels, as compared to [=LittleBigPlanet=] 2 which often used and expanded a gameplay concept in five different levels. This results in the final boss being trickier than intended as the player has little experience using the new heroes. It also doesn't help that, without the Sackpocket, the three new heroes have much shallower gameplay than Sackboy.
* ''VideoGame/TheLittleMermaid'' has only five not-very-long stages, disappointing reviewers.
* Various UsefulNotes/WiiWare games get criticised for this, such as both ''VideoGame/{{Lostwinds}}'' and a game about the Wild West as examples of a lack in content getting lowered scores. ''Wii Music'' has been gouged in reviews for not having a clear goal, and is thus "only" a two-hour jam session.
* ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' is one of the few game series whose games escape this kind of reaction by using their short playtime to encourage multiple playthroughs, with much of the bonus content requiring [[SpeedRun speed runs]] of less than 2 or 3 hours. In the case of the ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'', their respective lengths are longer on average anyway (15-20 hours for most players).
* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'':
** ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2'' was criticized for this by UK television show ''Series/GamesMaster'', because the reviewer finished it inside two hours, which, by the standards of a game with no save feature will require a bathroom break or two. Everyone else in the world shrugged their shoulders and carried on playing.
** One of the criticisms of ''VideoGame/SonicBlast'' for the UsefulNotes/GameGear is that it only has five worlds, whereas [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog18Bit the]] [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog28Bit previous]] [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogChaos four]] [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogTripleTrouble games]] usually had six.
** Both ''VideoGame/SonicColors'' and ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'' are noted for their shortness, even though both (plus ''[[VideoGame/SonicUnleashed Unleashed]]'') are considered to be the games that saved the franchise from its AudienceAlienatingEra. The shortness is justified, though, considering that ''Unleashed'' was criticized for the exact opposite problem – having the Werehog gameplay take up the majority of the game; and considering how much development effort is put into developing a single 3-4 minute stage in the Modern Sonic games, it's better to be short in the end.
*** ''Sonic Colors'' has 45 levels; six worlds with six acts and a boss each, and a final world with only two acts and a boss. While that sounds reasonable, bear in mind that each level only takes a few minutes to complete on average (with some of the boss stages lasting only ''30 seconds''), and that a good chunk of the levels are reused from bigger levels with some kind of gimmick added.
*** ''Sonic Generations'' has nine zones with two acts each, a rival battle and a BossBattle every three zones, plus the FinalBoss. While there are plenty of optional missions, only one is mandatory per zone (to get the three keys to unlock the Boss Gate). So that's 18 acts, 7 bosses (including the FinalBoss), and 9 missions, with most levels (and even bosses) taking two to four minutes to complete.
** ''VideoGame/SonicForces'' was criticized for many reasons, including the fact that the 30+ levels in Sonic Forces were short and easy to complete.
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** ''VideoGame/YoshisStory'' got a lot of flack for this. Though there are multiple paths, a single playthrough only takes the player through 6 individual levels at most.
** ''VideoGame/YoshisUniversalGravitation'' was criticized for its short length; the game can be beaten in less than five hours.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioParty'' has been heavily criticized for the amount of content not justifying its $60 US price tag. There's only four game boards, beating out the previous record-holder ''Mario Party DS'' for least boards in a ''Mario Party'' game by one, and all of them are much smaller than the boards in previous games. The other game modes (including the entirety of the online multiplayer) are all very brief mini-game compilations, and the maximum number of turns you can apply to a game has been downgraded from fifty to twenty on top of that. There was so little content many players thought for sure there were going to be future updates that added more boards, but no such plans have ever come to light even several years later, and another ''Mario Party'' game has since been released, more or less confirming that Nintendo has moved on.
* ''Franchise/SpyroTheDragon'':
** ''The Legend of Spyro'' games fall under this category, considering the first three games were chock full of side quests (some of them really annoying too).
** ''Enter the Dragonfly'' (although there were claimed to be [[ObviousBeta more problems than length]]). There's only a single hub, a single boss fight (done twice in slightly different ways), and no more than fifteen levels. Apparently the designers planned to make the game much longer, however they were working with relatively new software and literally ''ran out of disc space''. It was also ChristmasRushed.
* Averted with ''VideoGame/{{Strider}}'', which received stellar reviews (including [[Magazine/ElectronicGamingMonthly EGM]]'s "game of the year" for the Genesis port), even though it can be beaten in less than 20 minutes.
* The most frequent complaint against ''VideoGame/TinyAndBig'' is its length, being six levels long (excluding the tutorial) and clocking in at roughly three hours on average if played straight through.
* When compared to its UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis cousin, ''VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresBustersHiddenTreasure'', which has over 30 levels, making it a fairly lengthy game, ''VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresBusterBustsLoose'' for the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]] has only six action stages and five bonus stages, meaning it can be beaten fairly quickly. This is especially true if one plays ''Buster Busts Loose'' on the Children mode, [[EasyModeMockery which cuts out the more challenging second halves of its levels]] (including the bosses) and one entire level.
* ''VideoGame/WarioWorld'' and ''VideoGame/WarioLandShakeIt'' (a.k.a. ''The Shake Dimension''), both of which missed out of getting better than good reviews from some professional video game critics (they thought the games ended too quickly).
* ''VideoGame/WarioWare''. More so with ''Snapped'', and likely the ''D.I.Y.'' games, because those games have way fewer characters than there were in previous games[[note]]Though if you combine both the DS D.I.Y. and Showcase, there are really only 4 characters missing[[/note]], and in the former, only around 20 microgames.
* Some people will say this about ''VideoGame/YouHaveToBurnTheRope''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Puzzle Games]]
* ''VideoGame/BrothersATaleOfTwoSons'' got some flak for this. Despite praise for its story and its "1-player co-op" gameplay, the entire game can be completed in three to four hours.
* ''VideoGame/{{Braid}}'' has been subject to this, despite the fact that finding all the puzzle pieces in order to earn the game's ending can take ages if you're not using a [[GuideDangIt guide]]. And that's not even getting into the secret stars, one of which requires [[WaitingPuzzle riding a platform that takes two hours (real-time) to reach its destination]].
* The Xbox Live Arcade game ''VideoGame/{{Limbo}}'' has already gained this reputation for some, thanks to its 4-hour game length, its $15 price tag at launch (though this has since been reduced to $10) and most importantly, its almost complete lack of replay value. While gamers who felt cheated after completing the game didn't hate it, they thought it was fun but forgettable.
* ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'' has mostly avoided this despite taking only around four hours or so to complete on an average first-time playthrough. This may be due to a few factors. It is generally considered exceptionally good, it was relatively underhyped for a Valve game, and it is cheap. It originally came with two other mods/expansion packs and the individual unit retails at Target for 10 bucks. Hard to complain a game you paid 10 dollars for is too short. [[Videogame/{{Portal 2}} The sequel]] has however come under this criticism by some, despite the single-player campaign being somewhere around 3 times the length of its predecessor, and including a co-op campaign which itself is almost twice the length of ''Portal''. With Valve's SDK, the Perpetual Testing Initiative provides plenty of user-created maps give ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'' players more to do.
* This is a major reason why ''VideoGame/{{Trine}} 3: The Artifacts of Power'' received a colder reception than its predecessors. The developers later admitted they underestimated the budget necessary to make the VideoGame3DLeap for the ''Trine'' universe without making major compromises to its gameplay, of which its shorter length compared to its predecessors was but one of them (and the first two ''Trine'' games weren't exactly long games to begin with). Its $20 price tag didn't help it one bit. It is regarded [[CreatorBacklash as a mistake]] by the developers, and ''Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince'' returned to the 2D gameplay of the first two ''Trine'' games, is the longest entry yet, and has been received enthusiastically.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Racing Games]]
* This is one of the main complaints about ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed: Carbon''[[note]] The other being that [[ObviousBeta it has a lot of]] [[DummiedOut missing content]], especially in comparison to its predecessor ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted''.[[/note]]
* A major complaint about ''VideoGame/SonicR''. With only five tracks and few other features of play, you can see all the game has to offer in one sitting.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real-Time Strategy]]
* ''VideoGame/BrutalLegend'': A common criticism, with some going so far as to say the story missions can be finished in four hours. This is partially due to the drastic change in pacing after the first half and the lack of proportionate attention given to the third (and most threatening) final enemy army. Creator/TimSchafer says the single player is a multiplayer tutorial at the core. But Creator/ElectronicArts [[MisaimedMarketing did not want that getting out.]]
* ''VideoGame/GreyGoo2015'' has only 15 campaign missions, divided equally over the three factions.
%%* ''VideoGame/{{Ninjatown}}'' caught some flack for this, although it was intended as a budget game.
* ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'': ''VideoGame/Pikmin2001'' and ''VideoGame/Pikmin3'' both seem to get this a lot. The strict time limit on the first game even enforced this, limiting the amount of exploring the player can do in favor of just getting all the parts as quickly as possible.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Rhythm Games]]
* ''VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution'':
** The Japanese version of ''DDRMAX'' only has 42 songs. While not the lowest number in the series, it's a far cry from its direct predecessor, ''[=5thMIX=]'' which has nearly triple that number (122). Granted, it's not actually a case of lacking new content, since most DDR games at the time had around 40 new tracks as well, but rather because it removes every single song from ''[=5thMIX=]'' in favor of a completely new tracklist. The console version also has the same problem, adding just two new tracks for a total of 44 songs, which is a letdown since it is also the first [=PS2=] DDR game (while the console version of ''[=5thMIX=]'' has around the same number, it's for the [=PS1=]).
** The European DDR console games have [[BadExportForYou a poor reputation among fans]] because of this trope. ''Dancing Stage [=MegaMiX=]'' and ''Fever'' have a grand total of 29 songs each. And those were released for the [=PS2=]! Even combined, they still don't match the number of tracks featured in both the Japanese and North American versions of ''[=DDRMAX2=]'' released around the same time. ''Fever'' also has a [=PS1=] "[[PortingDisaster port]]", which somehow managed to halve its already abysmal tracklist. Yes, you're playing a rhythm game that only has ''15'' songs! To add insult to injury, ''[=MegaMiX=]'' was released on the heels of its much better-received predecessor, ''PARTY [=EDiTiON=]'', a [=PS1=] game that has 51 songs as a result of mostly porting over the content of the American game ''KONAMIX''. Why they didn't just port over the content of ''DDRMAX'' and ''[=DDRMAX2=]'' for Europe is anyone's guess.
* ''VideoGame/ParappaTheRapper'', the first one at least, consists of 6 stages, each of which last about 2 to 3 minutes, with a cutscene of about that length in between them. In other words, assuming you don't mess up so bad that the game forces you to try a stage again, you can finish this game within an hour. There was not much negative criticism for this game when it first came out, as it was right after score-based arcade-style gaming (and, like the [[TropeMaker genre it started]], it is score-based), meaning people were used to very short games meant to be played for high scores. [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny However, its PSP re-release could not hold up to the Dance Dance Revolutions, Guitar Heroes, and Rock Bands of later years]], which would come with dozens of songs and have DLC and mission pack sequels for dozens more, and Sony's attempted revival fizzled out within weeks.
* ''VideoGame/SpaceChannel5'' can be completed in under 45 minutes on a clean run. The sequel has two more levels than the original but will still take only a shade over 60 minutes to complete if the player doesn't fail a stage.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Role-Playing Games]]
* It's happening again to Tim Schafer in ''VideoGame/CostumeQuest''. According to him, the game was made for very, very, young gamers who have not yet played an RPG, which is why it's so short and easy. Schafer especially pointed out in the commentary for the updated version of ''VideoGame/{{Monkey Island 2|LeChucksRevenge}}'' that no matter what you do, people will complain that the game is too short.
* While this trope doesn't apply to ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'' itself, it's a common criticism of the first expansion ''Ashes of Ariandel''. It adds only a couple of new areas and two bosses, one of which is optional and only really consists of fighting an NPC player character and a recurring KingMook simultaneously. While the other boss is generally regarded as [[AwesomeBosses/DarkSouls one of]] [[MarathonBoss the best]] in the series, the general consensus is that's not enough to justify the price tag. Since ''Ashes of Ariandel'' is one of the only two expansions ''Dark Souls 3'' is getting it compares poorly to the DLC in the other entries in the series, (''VideoGame/DarkSoulsI'' had one expansion with four bosses, ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' had three expansions with three bosses in each one and the SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' had one expansion with five bosses) and as such it also raised concerns from fans about the longevity of the game compared to its predecessors.
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** The first game got a few complaints from people who just did the bare minimum required to reach the ending, ignoring the fact that the numerous optional missions make it a very long game indeed. The sequel worked around this by making it less obvious which missions could be skipped, 'tricking' such unpleasable people into actually experiencing more of the content they paid for.
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins: The Darkspawn Chronicles'', is easily completed in a couple of hours. It has no dialogue, no NPC interaction beyond recruiting and [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness executing unwanted thralls]], and no real customization. For being so different from previous Dragon Age offerings, critics gave it negative reviews.
** [=DA2=] also gave very clear hints where the story would reach a point of no return, and optional quests would [[PermanentlyMissableContent no longer be an option]]. If a player didn't feel it was worthwhile to gather every advantage available, the DiscOneFinalBoss [[ThatOneBoss would make them regret it]], and their game would be [[RageQuit very short indeed]].
** The expansion pack ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeOriginsAwakening Awakening]]'' can be comfortably beaten in about 13 hours, which fans found disappointing considering that Bioware found it worthy of selling on its own disc rather than making it a DLC.
* Prior to the release of ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', Creator/{{Bethesda}} ran a speed run contest within the studio. Both competitors beat the main story in just over two hours. Some people took this to mean that the story could be completed as fast and began to complain that they were paying $30 per hour forgetting it was a speedrun where both competitors were constantly shaving time off the clock via shortcuts among other things. They also were unaware that the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' speedruns were done in just over an hour. On top of that, those complainers seemed to forget or be unaware that the real meat of the game is through side quests, to the point that some people who have played for hundreds of hours haven't even ''touched'' the main story outside of the first few missions.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyMysticQuest'', gets this, in addition to also being [[ItsEasySoItSucks "easy, so it sucks"]], since the game can be completed in six to ten hours, which is extremely short for the RPG genre.
* At least one reviewer has held this up as a good reason that ''VideoGame/InfiniteUndiscovery'' is a terrible, irredeemable disappointment of a game. Never mind its [[ObviousBeta other]] [[ClicheStorm perceived]] [[DullSurprise problems]]; the length is what makes it especially bad.
* ''VideoGame/JadeCocoon'' is a monster-raising RPG that is only about eight hours long. The length and [[TheyCopiedItSoItSucks its similarities to Pokemon, which came out around the same time]] are the two main criticisms it received in reviews.
* This is the most common criticism (aside from its [[ItsEasySoItSucks relative lack of difficulty]]) reviewers have against ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger''. The game is, maybe, fifteen hours if you do everything in a single playthrough.
* When people compare installments within the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series, this is generally the one factor held against the first game.
* Not ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'' itself, but the accompanying ''Automatron'' [=DLC=] provides a single new questline which can be run through in an hour or two, and maybe an hour more to unlock all the crafting schematics. You'll probably make up that time toying with your new customisable robot companions, though.
* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'':
** One concern that many players had with ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterGenerations'' during the first year since its release was the lack of G-rank -- the tier of quests that comes after High Rank and is only added in {{Updated Rerelease}}s of "vanilla" ''Monster Hunter'' games -- [[AmericansHateTingle particularly in the West]] which hasn't had a ''Monster Hunter'' game without G-rank since ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter3Tri'' in 2010 (this is because the games without G-rank that were released during that period, ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterPortabe3rd'' and the original ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter4'', [[NoExportForYou remained exclusive to Japan and Korea]]). Something of note is that a ''Monster Hunter'' file that reaches the end of High Rank usually has about ''100-150 hours'' logged, with G-rank adding another hundred or so hours; the concern wasn't that "100 hours is too short for a game" so much as "we're so used to three tiers of quest difficulty that it feels weird having only two". The overseas LateExportForYou of ''[[UpdatedRerelease Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate]]'', which does have G-rank, only aggravated this particular sore spot for much longer than necessary.
** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterWorld'' ended up one-upping ''Generations'' in terms of feeling like an incomplete game, with only 31 large monsters at launch (to compare, ''Generations'' has 73 and ''Generations Ultimate'' has almost 100), once again a lack of G-rank (although this ignores the fact that no generation of ''Monster Hunter'' games has ever had G-rank in its first game), and barely any variety of monsters in its endgame. While more monsters have been added over time, it's still a comparatively small list, some of these monsters are TemporaryOnlineContent, and some players accuse Capcom of artificially extending the life of the game and punishing those who bought the game early. The complaints were largely addressed with the release of the ''Iceborne'' expansion.
** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterRise'', despite having more monsters than the base roster of ''World'', still received this criticism during its launch period due to the lack of postgame content (even the story was incomplete, since the FinalBoss survives her initial defeat), which was moderately addressed with post-release updates. The criticisms were addressed with ''Sunbreak'' and its updates.
* ''VideoGame/PanzerDragoonSaga'' can be completed in around 12 hours, and even by JRPG standards is extremely linear with virtually no side areas outside of some post-game content. This is compounded by the game coming on 4 CDRoms.
* ''VideoGame/RhapsodyAMusicalAdventure'' got a lot of criticism on its release for being an RPG that lasts all of ten hours if you really, really dawdle. It was also [[ItsEasySoItSucks brainlessly easy]] even on its highest difficulty setting. Still, it has its supporters simply because it's downright weird and practically unique (outside of Japan, anyway).
* ''VideoGame/RogueGalaxy'' can be completely in less than ten hours with [[LowLevelRun lowest possible level]].
* In a mixture of SeinfeldIsUnfunny and this, ''VideoGame/StarOcean1'' can be seen as this. The game has about ≤12 hours worth of unskippable material - for a JRPG? That's actually a rather short game for genres where games are often 20-50 hours, with some games like VideoGame/TalesOfGraces advertising 60-80 hours, and reports of people even putting as much as ''300 hours'' into games like ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVII'', or ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance''. No ''wonder'' it had this criticism - even when the game was new and was a huge experiment for the SNES (however, it still was hampered by the fact that it is an ObviousBeta - it has a ''huge'' amount of DummiedOut content).
* The original ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' is an unusual case: not only is it famous for being one of the shortest [=JRPGs=] of all time (at least, amongst the commonly known ones), but it's actually become a ''selling'' point for it. Then again, the [[OneHundredPercentCompletion means]] to obtain the GoldenEnding are another story...
* One of the criticisms leveled at ''Tales of the Tempest'', also called "Tales of Ten Hours", though not the only one.
* ''VideoGame/TormentTidesOfNumenera'' has been reported to be completeable with all sidequests in under 15 hours. Considering that the game it claims to be a SpiritualSuccessor to, ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', can easily last up to 50 hours plus, this has only added to the intense BrokenBase regarding it.
* ''VideoGame/XMenDestiny'' is an RPG that can be beaten in about five hours. As expected, it gets a lot of criticism for it.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shoot 'Em Ups]]
* ''Star Soldier R''. With five minutes of gameplay in total for eight USD, the Wii Shop Channel even ''warns you about the length of the game'' when you go to buy it.
* [[http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/raidenfightersaces/review.html GameSpot gave Raiden Fighters Aces a 6.5.]], and bashed it for being "only an hour of gameplay." Even though it's ''$20''. And it's ''three games''.
* ''VideoGame/SigmaStarSaga'', being a shooter/RPG hybrid, is something of a strange case in that it is considered short both by RPG standards AND by shooter standards.
* ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}} V'' is the game being talked about in the page quote. ''Gradius V'' is also considered to be unusually ''long'' for a shmup. That should tell you something about this and shoot 'em ups.
* There are players who believe ''Gradius [=ReBirth=]'''s five stages are worth $10, due to ''[=ReBirth=]'' being pretty cheap for a new ''Gradius'' game when the past several iterations have been around $30.
* ''VideoGame/TheHouseOfTheDeadOverkill'' gets complaints that it's only about four hours long, even though it's a ''rail shooter'' whose predecessors are in the ''30-minute range''.
* This is a common complaint with ''VideoGame/LiberationMaiden'', as it can easily be beaten under an hour or less. However, given the very cheap price tag, some people overlook the length due to it still being good after quite a few replays.
* The ''VideoGame/SilentScope'' series. Doesn't help that the home versions don't have a gun peripheral (except for the crappy one that came with ''Silent Scope Complete'').
* All of the ''VideoGame/StarFox'' games (other than ''Adventures'' due to a GenreShift) carry the same criticism noting their short lengths. Ironically, ''VideoGame/StarFoxAssault'' receives the most flak for this, despite being ten missions long with repetition and objective shifts, whereas the more popular ''VideoGame/StarFox64'' and the SNES game are seven and six missions respectively[[note]]Although the original game has three routes, while ''64'' has 16 stages total (including both variants of the final stage) and about 25 different ways to get to the end of the game[[/note]], with only ''one on-rails segment'' in each. ''VideoGame/StarFoxCommand'' is a bit more varied.
%%* Averted with ''VideoGame/SASZombieAssault 4''. Even though playing the same 9 missions over and over again might sound boring, the new features won't stop players from getting bored of the game. And there's NoEnding. (This example needs more clarification. It claims to be an aversion but reads like a double subversion. And what new features exactly, anyway?)
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sports Games]]
* ''VideoGame/MarioGolf: Super Rush'' is criticized for having a short story mode that only features a single tournament, as well as its ranked multiplayer mode only taking place over just three holes even though all players go at once instead of taking turns like in conventional multiplayer golf games.
* Message boards all around blare with the cries of fans of the ''VideoGame/PunchOut'' series being angry with the new Wii installment only having thirteen opponents. And apparently, "Title Defense" mode does not count because they're just {{Recurring Boss}}es.
* The [[VideoGame/TonyHawksProSkater Tony Hawk]] video-game franchise has been going downhill for a long time (no pun intended), many considering the beginning of the end to have been Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, whose single player could be beaten in about 2 hours the first time through, and replays of single-player (which you must do to unlock everything) could be completed by experienced players with 100% completion in ''under 30 minutes''. The following game, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, took an up-turn for the series, with 190 single-player goals, competitions, mini-games, and collectibles; finishing with 100% completion could take over 10 hours. After that brief return to (lengthy) glory, each game has been annoyingly short.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Stealth Based Games]]
* Some ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'' fans have given ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations'' flack for this. Not only does it have the shortest single-player campaign in the main series, it also has far fewer sidequests than that of the previous [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII two]] [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood installments.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Dishonored}}'' gets some flak for taking around eight hours to complete at a normal pace. Some still consider it worth it due to feeling like a more advance "classical-style" stealth game, however.
* Creator/HideoKojima specifically stated that the original ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' game was designed to be completed at a leisurely pace in about ten hours so that the people it was marketed towards (adults) would be able to work it into their busy schedules. The short length ended up being a frequent complaint about it and its sequel (although ''Metal Gear Solid 3'' and ''Metal Gear Solid 4'' were somewhat longer). Complaints about shortness also extend to the level designs. For instance, Grozny Grad is supposed to be the prototype for Outer Heaven, a city-sized fortress. Yet, you only need to explore a section of it.
* For ''Ground Zeroes'', the prologue game to ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'', this was essentially the only major complaint raised against it. However, it was such an extreme case (being beatable within ''2 hours'') that despite being praised endlessly for its gameplay, story, voice acting, and visuals, it received some very mixed scores.
* ''VideoGame/SplinterCell: Conviction'' was criticized for only being about five hours long, which was significantly shorter than the previous ''Splinter Cell'' games.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Survival Horror]]
* One of the main criticisms of ''VideoGame/DementiumTheWard'' is that it can be completed in about 5-7 hours, which actually is kinda short, even by survival horror standards. The sequel had similar criticisms, though it was ''slightly'' longer.
* ''Franchise/SilentHill'':
** A reviewer for the U.S. ''[=PlayStation=] Magazine'' had this complaint about ''VideoGame/SilentHill3''. The reviewer felt that the short game length indicated a lack of overall CharacterDevelopment compared to ''VideoGame/SilentHill1'' and ''[[VideoGame/SilentHill2 2]]''.
** ''VideoGame/SilentHillShatteredMemories'', though one of the more well-liked Western developed entries in the franchise, has this as a critique in a handful of reviews. However, it wasn't even the shortest game in the series at the time, being beaten by ''VideoGame/SilentHillOrigins'' and the aforementioned ''Silent Hill 3''.
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Remake'' has received much flack for being significantly shorter and more linear than the original ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis'', and for relying so heavily on the same engine and reuised assets from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2Remake'' that they actually stripped out unique areas like the Clock Tower, Raccoon Park, and Dead Factory to avoid making new ones -- most feel that for what it was it should have been DLC for the previous game rather than a full-priced release.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Third Person Shooter]]
* ''VideoGame/AlienSwarm'' is a freeware game that had only one campaign of 5 maps. While the game itself is fun to play, it would take an average player about an hour to complete all the levels and that's before the grind for experience points to level up and unlock better gear. By the time mods were being made for the game to make more maps, most of the player base had left. It wasn't until several years later where the game received a big update called ''Reactive Drop'' where the game gained several campaigns (some being from mods), new equipment, a PVP mode, and the ability to play with eight players/bots instead of the usual party of four.
%%* ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar''
* ''[[VideoGame/KaneAndLynch Kane & Lynch: Dog Days]]'' can be easily completed in four hours.
* ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankIntoTheNexus'' has only 6 areas in the game (in contrast to most other games in the series, which usually have at least 10 places to visit, and even then, that's a lower number than is common), and one of them is the tournament, which you only need to do part of to get the Jetpack. The other 5 are the size of a regular area in a ''Ratchet & Clank'' game. As a result, a first playthrough can be finished within 4 hours if you rush, with a regular playthrough being only a few hours longer than that. Most other games in the franchise can easily have double digits in the hours category.
* ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine'' is a critically acclaimed {{Deconstruction}} of military shooting war games in general. It's also highly criticized for being short, with playthrough on the normal difficulty only clocking around three and a half hours. Or six hours if one dies often or trying to collect all the collectibles and secrets (including several one-of-a-kind weapons that can't be found elsewhere in the game).
* ''VideoGame/{{Uncharted}}'':
** A typical first runs of each game in the series take between 6 and 8 hours. Repeat runs take much less time to complete.
** ''VideoGame/UnchartedGoldenAbyss'' on the PS Vita handheld gets the worst of this since it takes place in a single locale and can be completed in around 3 hours.
* ''VideoGame/{{Vanquish}}'' was a critically acclaimed game and received high marks all around, but it was absolutely savaged for its short playtime, ranging from 4-6 hours. This trope was basically the reason it failed to garner 10s across the board.
* The otherwise really quite good ''VideoGame/FreedomFighters2003'' can be completed in about ten hours, or less once you work out the optimal order in which to carry out your objectives.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Turn Based Strategy]]
* Likely the main reason why ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones Sacred Stones]]'' is one of the least-remembered ''VideoGame/FireEmblem'' games. It didn't help that it was also one of the [[ItsEasySoItSucks easiest in the series]].
* While ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' as a whole isn't an example, the Crimson Flower route (in which the player joins the Black Eagles [[spoiler:and sides with Edelgard against the Church of Seiros]]) is criticized for being significantly shorter than the other routes. Crimson Flower ends at Chapter 18, while the others go up to Chapter 21 or 22.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* ''VisualNovel/ShinraiBrokenBeyondDespair'' is only about five to ten hours long, resulting in some reviewers criticizing it for not being worth its $15 price tag. This may be in part because, unlike the ''Franchise/DanganRonpa'' and ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' games, there's only one case.
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[[folder:Wide Open Sandbox]]
* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRogue'' has been criticized for consisting of just six sequences and 25 missions. By contrast, its predecessor ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag'' was 12 sequences and 43 missions long.
* The length of ''VideoGame/MafiaII'' (2010) pales in comparison to [[VideoGame/MafiaTheCityOfLostHeaven its predecessor from 2002]], and there is a fair amount of unused content within the game files. Swathes of content were cut just before release. Also, all three [=DLCs=] for the game are relatively short and made so cheaply they look like fan mods.
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->''"[[WebVideo/TheAngryJoeShow FOUR HOURS?!]]"''

* ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'': One massive criticism was it having exactly four areas in the game and being over in about a day's worth of gameplay. This criticism was addressed for the sequels.

* ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' is one of the shortest entries into the MCU, and much of the controversy around the film stems from complications caused by that (such as cutting out subplots that had been hyped like Valkyrie's love interest, some of Gorr's CharacterDevelopment, etc), and though some appreciated the breezy experience, especially those who have gotten sick of some recent superhero movies boasting very long runtimes, it's not uncommon to find people who cite the short length as a mark against it compared to the other MCU films.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioParty'' has been heavily criticized for the amount of content not justifying its $60 US price tag. There's only four game boards, beating out the previous record-holder ''Mario Party DS'' for least boards in a ''Mario Party'' game by one, and all of them are much smaller than the boards in previous games. The other game modes (including the entirety of the online multiplayer) are all very brief mini-game compilations, and the maximum number of turns you can apply to a game has been downgraded from fifty to twenty on top of that. There was so little content many players thought for sure there were going to be future updates that added more boards, but even more than two years after launch no such plans have ever come to light.

* ''VideoGame/ParappaTheRapper'', the first one at least, consists of 6 stages, each of which last about 2 to 3 minutes, with a cutscene of about that length in between them. In other words, assuming you don't mess up so bad that the game forces you to try a stage again, you can finish this game within an hour. There was not much negative criticism for this game when it first came out, as it was right after score-based arcade-style gaming (and, like the [[FromClonesToGenre genre it started]], it is score-based), meaning people were used to very short games meant to be played for high scores. [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny However, its PSP re-release could not hold up to the Dance Dance Revolutions, Guitar Heroes, and Rock Bands of later years]], which would come with dozens of songs and have DLC and mission pack sequels for dozens more, and Sony's attempted revival fizzled out within weeks.

* This is a major reason why ''VideoGame/{{Trine}} 3: The Artifacts of Power'' received a colder reception than its predecessors. The developers later admitted they underestimated the budget necessary to make the VideoGame3DLeap for the ''Trine'' universe without making major compromises to its gameplay, of which its shorter length compared to its predecessors was but one of them (and the first two ''Trine'' games weren't exactly long games to begin with). Its $20 price tag didn't help it one bit. It is regarded as an OldShame by the developers, and ''Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince'' returned to the 2D gameplay of the first two ''Trine'' games, is the longest entry yet, and has been received enthusiastically.

* Subverted with Music/TheRamones' debut album, ''Music/{{Ramones}}'', which is a little over 29 minutes long. One reason why it's so popular with fans and critics was that the songs ''were'' [[ThreeChordsAndTheTruth short and to the point]], while at the same time packing a punch, making what little time the music was playing worth it.