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Games with the best pacing

One of the reasons I have played through Chrono Trigger a ridiculous amount of times is because of how well paced it is. I never felt "stuck" in an irritating section that wouldn't end and the journey itself really took you places. Starts strong and ends damn strong. My last playthrough on DS was like 10 hours. Seriously, I wish we had more short JRPGs that I can replay without sinking in 60 hours.
 
MGS3

A masterclass in pacing. Great, thrilling moments and boss battles punctuated by quiet time to recover and ponder the story. Every gameplay area and scenario sets the emotional stage for what is to come next. There's a reason that ladder exists directly after the battle with The End and there's a reason the last big set piece is a 20 minute bike chase before that ending.

Dark Souls and Metro: Last Light are good ones as well, I reckon.
 
Uncharted 2 is the last AAA game I played that had great pacing. But I'm more impressed with the pacing in Resident Evil 4 and Chrono Trigger, since both those games also had parts that weren't linear.

Ys: Oath in Felghana also was a very well-paced RPG.

Pacing is something that very, very few games do great. Even many otherwise excellent games had one or two parts that either overstayed their welcome, felt like filler or weren't fleshed out enough. Killer Croc section in Batman: Arkham Asylum comes to mind.

I think many devs neglect the importance of peaks and valleys in games. Some games try to be "in your face" almost all the time, which eventually loses its impact, gets tiring and even boring. Other games are just too slow to get going (many RPGs are guilty of that).
 
Cross-Section said:
Feel free to call bullshit on this, but: Max Payne 3

The amount of detailed, varied environments that the game practically shoves the player through is surprisingly impressive given how much negatively received it was.
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I enjoyed the gameplay but I couldn't stand the cut scenes. Worse is that the game won't allow you to skip them until it was halfway over.

My vote goes to Shadow of the Colossus. Each boss fight got more and more epic in scale causing the player to eagerly await the next boss. The bosses themselves were all varied and requires different tactics every time so it never gets stale. Also, the journey to each colossus is peaceful and serene, a sharp difference from the frantic fights.
 
GTAV got through the "tutorial" missions really swiftly, and it always felt like it was showing me a great new weapon or vehicle.
 
I've seen those games mentionned in this thread and I totally agree :

The Last of Us
-Chrono Trigger
-Uncharted series
-Batman Arkham Asylum

I'd like to add these :

-Dead Space 1
-FF 6
 
Portal and Half Life 2: Episode 2. Valve were on form with The Orange Box. Unlike previous entries nothing outstays its welcome in HL2:Ep2 for me. I loved listening to the dev commentary on the Half Life episodes on how playtesting highlighted when they needed to balance out the action parts with the quieter parts so it doesn't get too samey.

In terms of pure gameplay (ie ignoring cutscenes) I think Metal Gear Solid is wonderfully paced with the huge exception of that key card part near the end. Boss fights come at the right time tied in with the weapon progression needed to fight them.
 
Resident Evil 4 and Uncharted 2 were great, but they both had problems with their third acts being stretched out beyond what either the narrative or the level designs could fully support. If we're ignoring the final thirds, I'd add Dark Souls up through O&S.

Now a game like Portal has perfect pacing all the way to the end, but it's also a one-sitting kind of game. Like some older standouts like Mega Man 2, Castlevania 3, Aladdin SNES, and Star Fox. When it comes to somewhat longer games I feel like Silent Hill 2 and the original Pikmin were impressively well-paced especially considering their genres. And recently Donkey Kong Country Returns and Mario 3D World were just impossible to get bored with at any point during your first playthrough.

Ocarina of Time is the longest game I can think of with perfect pacing (except for that tutorial town at the very beginning, but I forgive it that because it was so different from any game anyone had played before).
 
gelf said:
In terms of pure gameplay (ie ignoring cutscenes) I think Metal Gear Solid is wonderfully paced with the huge exception of that key card part near the end. Boss fights come at the right time tied in with the weapon progression needed to fight them.
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I think both the sniper and keycard backtracking moments kill the pacing for me. Both are at climactic moments, waste a bunch of time, and don't really add anything new (well the sniper backtracking had some cool moments, but it shouldn't have been put at that moment). And then you have shit like that staircase and I think the game has wayyyy worse pacing than both MGS 2 and 3.
 
Another game that comes to mind for me is Gunstar Heroes.

One of the main reasons I champion it over Contra: Hard Corps as the superior Genesis run 'n gun is because Hard Corps tends to feel more like a really, really long boss rush with a few traditional platforming and scrolling sequences sprinkled in between, whereas Gunstar has a better blend of platforming and boss fights, and on top of that, the sheer amount of variety on display throughout the entire game blows Hard Corps out of the water. The game throws new and unique (Yet never off-putting or ill-fitting) scenarios at you right up to the very final boss. (And yes, that's including the shump sequence) It's one of those rare games where the game fires on all cylinders right off the bat and never lets up, yet it never feels overwhelming, and no part of the game feels like it's there just to take up space or pad the game out.

This applies to a good amount of Treasure games, come to think of it. But Gunstar Heroes is definitely the finest example.
 
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger. Snappy, arcade style encounters, moments of light exploration and tension building, storytelling that doesn't get in the way and unfolds while you play. Missions are long enough to be satisfying but short enough to want to play the next right after. Finished it in a couple of settings, one of those games I didn't want to put down.
 
DMC3. Got rid of the clunky puzzle solving in DMC1 (and finding keys) and for the most part just streamlined the action ("the puzzles they did have u solve were pretty easy and far between).
 
orborborb said:
Resident Evil 4 and Uncharted 2 were great, but they both had problems with their third acts being stretched out beyond what either the narrative or the level designs could fully support. If we're ignoring the final thirds, I'd add Dark Souls up through O&S.

Now a game like Portal has perfect pacing all the way to the end, but it's also a one-sitting kind of game.
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I felt RE4 was more guilty in this regard. UC2 was just about getting there and not quite as guilty. Chapter 16 though was freaking perfectly placed.
 
~60% of Dark Souls, from the beginning of the game to the end of Anor Londo. There's so much exploration to do, and the trail of breadcrumbs is just strong enough to make it feel like a real adventure where there's always something new around the corner. Hell, most people will miss at least a few major pieces of content their first time through without a guide, but the experience still feels complete because of how brilliantly the main areas link up.
 
Neff said:
I'll go with most of Shinji Mikami's games.

I'm playing through The Evil Within for a fourth time, and it's not suprising how little downtime or padding there is. The great thing is the contents of each chapter continue to surprise me because it's so varied. It really replicates that wonderful feeling of first playing RE4 and going through it over and over and over until I had enough of it memorised (to this day I still don't have the entire thing memorised despite playing through it like 20-30 times) to be able to plan ahead.

RE1, REmake, Vanquish, PN03, God Hand, The Evil Within- they all have perfect gear changes and intelligently gauged peaks and valleys, heartpounders and relaxing breathers in equal measure, while mixing in a healthy dose of variety and surprises, ensuring the journey never gets stale. He's a master in this regard imo.
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I'll echo these sentiments as well. None of his games overstay their welcome - from sub 4 hour arcade style games to 15 hour thrill rides. Resident Evil 2 and Devil May Cry also feature expert pacing even though Mikami's role was Executive Producer.
 
Half-Life 2 is the best paced game of all time, IMO. Nothing comes close (well, E1 and E2 do, but they're both short). Pacing doesn't mean that "every level is great!" or "It grabs you and never lets go!" In my opinion, it means the opposite. You have exciting moments and then "down" moments: moments when you can take in the scenery or appreciate the story and setting. Many of these end abruptly, think, Point Insertion when you feel relatively safe in Kleiner's laboratory, but then the point insertion goes wrong, you're rushed out. You're then "on the run" in Route Kanal, avoiding those choppers that dog you constantly and those robotic flying things which really give you a sense of unease.

Water Hazard, the level with the boat, follows and.. THis is actually a generally uneasy level all the way through. It's the one level that doesn't quite fit IMO, and of course it ends with the boss battle against the chopper. But, when that ends, you discover Black Mesa East and again you have a lasting sense of security... The most secure part in the game. Of course, this is all thrown assunder dramatically and you know what follows, Ravenholm, the most disruptive, uneasy level in the game. The clostrophic, threats-at-every-corner, watch-your-back Ravenholm level then gives way to wide open countryside, fog-laden beaches, and a sense of open discovery in Highway 17, preparing you for the final assault in Nova Prospekt and the civil war in City 17, and of course, the Citadel.

Nearly every level is a foil to the previous one. Tight canals in Route Kanal, followed by open -- but weary -- water navigation, followed by a real sense of security in Black Mesa East, though still closed in, underground... Then to claustrophic and scary Ravenholm. The game should be a lesson in balance.

It's important for games to balance "down" moments with "up" and to give the player a relative sense of assured security, the whole game should not be "up," it gets exhausting.

Other games that do this well:

Guacamelee
Uncharted 2
Last of Us
Red Dead Redemption
Metal Gear Solid (1)

Well received games games that do it especially poorly:

Uncharted 3
Gears of War 3 and on
Call of Duty 4 and on (don't remember CoD 1 - 3 enough)
Halo 3
 
Persona 4 Golden.

I don't care what anyone says, that 3 hour story segment at the beginning of the game was completely necessary to set up the plot of the game (I don't think it's excessive for a 75 hour story driven game to have a 3 hour beginning to set up the story) and the grove between rescuing someone from the TV with other fun events mixed in was pure bliss.
 
We seem to be hitting on a lot of action games, and I'd add Star Fox 64 to that list. It has pitch-perfect roller coaster pacing -- it's a very short game that hits you with big loops and set pieces for every little dip it has. Plays on a lot of science fiction and dogfighting tropes (in a good way) to keep you engaged and satisfied throughout. As has been said, Resident Evil 4 is also a great example of this sort of set piece-based pacing; these games are almost like extended theme park rides that keep you strung along with new sights to see. I'd be remiss to gloss over the Doom and Doom 2, as well. Though they don't have the narrative pull or the amount of set pieces as the former examples, those are some games with a great sense of momentum throughout.

Super Metroid, of course, has very organic pacing. On a grander scale, Ocarina of Time's narrative marries its game world so nicely that it feels perfectly paced, even though you have the agency to wander if you choose. It might feel basic today, but some cliches become cliches for a reason. It's almost redundant to mention these as good examples of game design, though.

Although I love the hell out of The Wonderful 101 -- so much so that I'm glad to see it mentioned anywhere -- I would not call it a well-paced game. I mean this in the best way, but TW101 is excessive to the point of bloat -- it's humongous, it throws everything it has at you at all times and it's absolutely buried in game mechanics, tweaks, unlockables and options. Yes, it has fantastic and frequent set pieces, but I also found myself wandering in confusion a lot wondering "what the hell do I do now?" That's a lesser issue that does affect pace, but I mostly feel that the game is just too unwieldy and overwhelming, in its own beautifully superabundant-but-rough-around-the-edges sort of way.
 
Half Life 2 and Uncharted 2 definitely apply. Also liked the flow of Heavy Rain. The Last of Us was painfully slow after the amazing prologue, so definitely not on my list.
 
Chrono Trigger the thread. From the story beats, to the precise number of encounters in every dungeon... damn near perfect game.
 
SugarDave said:
MGS3

A masterclass in pacing. Great, thrilling moments and boss battles punctuated by quiet time to recover and ponder the story. Every gameplay area and scenario sets the emotional stage for what is to come next. There's a reason that ladder exists directly after the battle with The End and there's a reason the last big set piece is a 20 minute bike chase before that ending.

Dark Souls and Metro: Last Light are good ones as well, I reckon.
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I would agree with Metro: Last Light only if you eliminate the first 2 hours of the game.

It starts off with very slow stealth-based levels and suddenly becomes a lot more fun
when you get the railcar and start fighting packs of mutant monsters.

I'm going to nominate Final Fantasy IX. I think it did pacing just as well as VII, if not better.

Also, Halo: Combat Evolved has some great gun-play and exposition parts, and the pacing in general was really good (343 Guilty Spark is one of my favorite levels of all time). But I'm not going to nominate it because of The Library.
 
SalvaPot said:
Mother 3.

It grabs you with its narrative and it never lets you go.
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giancarlo123x said:
For me recently it was TLOU. Never a dull moment for me in the campaign, didn't overstay it's welcome either. But I also agree with RE4. I need to replay UC2.
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bomma_man said:
Resident Evil 4 and Uncharted 2 are the gold standard big budget blockbusters.
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ckohler said:
Portal
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nkarafo said:
Portal 2
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GIANKRATOS said:
Uncharted 2.
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All of these.
 
If I had to pick just one, I'd give top honors to Uncharted 2. Other than the clumsy stealth opening section, the entire game is an expertly paced thrill ride that is consistently engaging and awe-inspiring at times (e.g. the helicopter fight and the train sequence).

I also agree with those of you who are saying RE4, Mother 3, and Chrono Trigger.
 
Here's a game nobody else will think of or mention: Tiny Toon Adventures - Buster Busts Loose on the SNES. A really, really good platformer by Konami that throws new challenges at you in every level. It's a forgotten gem with great pacing all the way through.
 
Baldur's Gate II. Plenty of choice, lots of combat, dialogue, and puzzles/riddles.

Max Payne series, and Alan wake are also very well tempo'd.

Halo 1.
 
Cross-Section said:
Feel free to call bullshit on this, but: Max Payne 3

The amount of detailed, varied environments that the game practically shoves the player through is surprisingly impressive given how much negatively received it was.
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I totally support this, I have been a Max Payne fan since the original constipated face graced my OG Xbox.

Resident Evil 4
Metal Gear Solid
Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare
The Last of Us
Viewtiful Joe

Wish I had more unpopular choices to bring to light.
 
God of War : the thread

god of war games have NO FILLER and always have a good pace between action, platforming and puzzles.

God of war is 8 hour games done right.
 
I thought Last Story had pretty good pacing; specially considering the "grinding" circles.


Resident Evil 4 as well, very, very good pacing on that one.
 
Resi 4 and UC2 really are the perfect examples. They knew when you needed an action break, which is why it was so difficult to put those games down.

TLOU, MGS, Arkham Asylum and Metroid Prime would be right up there too.
 
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. One of those very few games that starts good, but just gets better and better the further it goes.
 
Game4life said:
So the two games that I am talking about are RE4 and Uncharted 2. Both masterclasses in how to handle pacing in Single player action games. Is there any games that GAF thinks is paced as well or better than these two games? If I have not tried them already I would love to try out the suggestions mentioned here.
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Sorry OP, I don't have anything, because you win at life and right out of the gate gave examples of two of the games with the absolute best pacing I've ever played.

There are times, though, when RE4 comes dangerously close to overstaying its welcome; it could probably do without a castle chapter or two.
 
The Last Story is a good one, glad to see it mentioned already.
 
MGS 3

The pinnacle of Kojima's game design philosophy which started with Metal Gear on the MSX. You can see how each area is designed as a standalone "puzzle piece" with more than one solution and various tools to play around with. You are forced into fresh scenarios and challenges just as you start getting used to the ones you currently face.

Meanwhile, the gameplay beautifully reflects on the "pain" the protagonist goes through in the story. This inspires you to power through the game.

Half Life 2

Beautifully laid out journey, with a real sense of place at every location. Story telling is subtle but engaging, and the gameplay is kept fresh by adding environmental puzzles, vehicles, and creative enemy encounters.

Resident Evil 4

Moving away from the "mansion" model of past games, the game abandons the "back tracking to solve puzzles" method and replaces it with a great sense of progress. You truly feel you are moving through a sprawling location, and if the the stage design doesn't make it hard to put the controller down, the enemy variety and weapon upgrades will.

Uncharted 2

Never has a third person shooter felt so engaging from start to finish. The game doesn't settle on having fine tuned shooting and combat mechanics. It makes sure you remain on your toes throughout, even slowing things down to a methodical pace once you reach a climax, only to turn the stakes back up and lead you towards a dizzying end. The final boss is not a classic, but no game is perfect.

Last of Us

Everything I said about Half Life 2 applies here. The sense of place, and the layout of the journey is up there with the very best. Combine that with a simple but engaging plot driven by fantastic characters, and it's hard to imagine putting the game down.

Chrono Trigger / Final Fantasy VII / Xenogears

Grouping these together since I think they all harken back to when Square had mastered the structure of the JRPG. Faced with the prospect of a massive 50/60/70 hour storyline, they always knew how to keep the player engrossed with excellent character and story development. You simply wanted to know where you had to go next, and where the ultimate end would be met. The journeys were always made all the more sweeter with finely tuned combat systems which rewarded patience and creativity.

Note: Yes, that latter part of disk two on Xenogears was a letdown. Yes, I am ignoring it :p
 
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