So I recently started playing Xenoblade Chronicles and one of the main things which came across to me is that it's one of the best examples of a game which does not waste your time, none of the 35 or so hours I have played so far has felt like a chore. Losing against a boss usually transports you back to a nearby checkpoint, no need to travel long distances and fight weaker enemies you have beaten before just to get back to the boss. No need to constantly travel back and forth between areas you have seen many times before, just open up the map for the area you want and instantly transport yourself to a landmark in that area. No need for constant grinding (as long as you are accepting quests and not running away from every enemy), you get xp for many different things including discovering new locations and for certain achievements. All members of your party receive xp after each battle even if they didn't participate, encouraging you to experiment with different characters without the need of constantly levelling up lesser used ones. You can save anywhere you want at anytime outside of battles. This all means that more time is spent enjoying the game - exploring new areas, enjoying the story, fighting more challenging enemies, and doing some quests.
It feels like too many games, RPGs in particular, rely on methods to extend game length which ends up making the experience less enjoyable. Any other games which don't feel the need to rely on this?
It feels like too many games, RPGs in particular, rely on methods to extend game length which ends up making the experience less enjoyable. Any other games which don't feel the need to rely on this?
