In praise of games that respect your time

We've somehow ended up in a world where a game bragging about being hundreds of hours long is seen as a good thing. But length isn't quality, and a lot of that time is padding.

Hollow Lantern is maybe four hours long. It has no filler, no grind, no timers. It tells a small, complete story and then it ends, and it's better for it. I finished it feeling satisfied rather than exhausted.

There's real craft in knowing when to stop. Every mechanic in a tight game earns its place because there's no room to waste. Compare that to a sprawling game where you spend hours doing the same fetch quest and you start to appreciate restraint.

I'm not saying long games are bad. I love a good epic. But I'd like to see more short, confident games get the credit they deserve. Sometimes the best thing a game can do is let you finish it.