Why GreedFall 2 Would Be Wise to Stick to the First Game's Length

Game ZXC

GreedFall 2: The Dying World

By Nick Rodriguez

Published Mar 12, 2024

Highlights

GreedFall 2 aims to build on its predecessor's success with a compelling narrative and focus on important RPG elements.
RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield offer lengthy gameplay, but GreedFall's shorter duration may provide a more manageable experience.
GreedFall 2 should prioritize quality over quantity to ensure player satisfaction and engagement.

GreedFall won the hearts of many RPG fans in 2019 thanks to its thrilling narrative and strong grasp on the genre's most important elements, and GreedFall 2 will ideally build on the solid foundation that it set. While certain areas, like the decision-based storytelling of the first GreedFall, could use some polish, the overall size and scope of the game, especially as this pertains to playtime, should remain lean and digestible, even if developer Spiders feels tempted to go bigger.

While it didn't whip up the publicity frenzy of a smash-hit title like Baldur's Gate 3 or the BioWare games that inspired it, GreedFall managed to find a decent amount of success, selling over one million copies globally. Overall, while the game has its detractors, it's considered a good example of what the so-called 'AA' gaming scene can provide: focused, solid gaming experiences that (usually) don't fall prey to some of the more maligned aspects of the AAA sphere, like microtransactions and designed-by-committee storytelling. With GreedFall 2, Spiders may be looking to offer something more ambitious, and while this might benefit the game in some ways, it could harm it in others.

Red Dead Redemption 2's Arthur Morgan and GreedFall 2's protagonist

GreedFall 2's Prequel Status May Be Making a Red Dead Redemption Gamble

As a prequel, GreedFall 2 will need to tread lightly with its protagonist while simultaneously resolving any continuity issues that may creep up.

GreedFall 2 Can Stand Out By Being a Reasonably Sized RPG

RPGs Can Be Excessively Long

2023 saw the release of mammoth RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield, which can take players well over 100 hours to complete, especially if they are looking to tackle all the side content on offer. This trend isn't isolated to 2023, though, as most modern RPGs seem to be at least fifty, sixty, or seventy-hour affairs, featuring complex, sprawling narratives and enough side content to fill weeks' or months' worth of gaming. There's definitely a market for this, with a good number of gamers directly associating playtime with worth, arguing that a product selling for $60 or more should provide just as many hours of enjoyment.

While it's fair to expect games to be a certain length, not every game needs to be so time-consuming. GreedFall is different from other RPGs in the sense that its main campaign only takes about 25 hours to complete, and most players report finishing all the game's content in roughly 50 hours. This might be something of a letdown for players looking for a meaty experience to occupy 100 hours or more, but it appeals to those looking for something a bit more manageable and less daunting; it can be hard to commit to a game in, say, the Persona series when it requires such a major time commitment.

GreedFall 2 Should Be Better, Not Bigger

GreedFall tells a solid story in an intriguing fictional world, making the most of its short time relative to other games in the genre. Whatever direction Spiders chooses to take with GreedFall 2's story, it ought to focus on designing its narrative, quests, and gameplay with a quality-over-quantity philosophy. Essentially, the sequel would be better served as a digestible, sub-50-hour experience, rather than swelling to the point of 80 hours or more at the risk of overstaying its welcome.

Many RPGs seem to adopt the belief that bigger is usually better, and while there's value in a massive and time-consuming journey, it shouldn't be considered a prerequisite for quality or a strong critical reception. In truth, GreedFall 2 can be competitive in the RPG scene without stretching to the length of an Elder Scrolls or Yakuza entry, as long as Spiders polishes and refines the most important aspects of the game. Time will tell what GreedFall 2 will look like, but it will hopefully leave players wanting more, not wondering when it will be over.