To Be Honest, The Older I Get the Easier and Shorter I Like My Games

I know some people think you aren't a real gamer if you don't play a game with the difficulty ramped up. If you aren't struggling to stay alive/win a match you need to, "Git Gud (get good/play better)," or some nonsense. Well, back in 2021 I said it was, "Okay," to play on easy mode and now I'm doubling down and saying I like games set to be nice and easy. I want to actually have fun, and constantly losing or dying (unless that is a part of the game in some fashion like a Roguelike) just sounds unappealing. When I see an article declaring how some new title is, "...the new hardest game in town." that makes me lose interest quick. I want a game to be easy, and I'd prefer it not be that long either.

Yes, you read the above last sentence correctly. I'm sick of games that brag how they can take 100 or something hours to complete. In those games, so much of the time spent is dull filler and if you can give me a game that is 10-20 hours and an absolute blast from start to finish I will take that any day of the week over those super-long games. The last, "Massive," game I maybe spent a ton of time with was, "Fallout 4," and looking back a good half of my gameplay was fun but another half was dull inventory management, trudging around looking for a quest goal, etc. I'd still agree with my 2016 self in declaring it was, "Pretty fun," but that right there is the kicker in some way as, "Pretty fun," is not, "Nonstop fun." I did spend a good deal of time playing, "Red Dead Redemption 2," as well, but not the many, many hours I put in, "Fallout 4." That was in 2016 though and now it is 2023. I'm older, I've got a kid, and I've got things to do during the day that limit my time to play games. 

I will give Xbox and its Game Pass major props as it allows someone to dip into a game, sample it, and then keep playing or delete it from their console if they grow tired of it/find it isn't for them/beat it should they love it. Having the Game Pass is wonderful for trying stuff out and should it be too lengthy or difficult, it is easy to move on. A game that is not too hard and which can be completed in a reasonable amount of time is a game that sounds good to me. I'll still dabble in games that are hard (as long as they have easier modes) and I'll try titles allegedly filled to the brim with hours upon hours of content, but I'll most likely stop playing them once I've had my fill. I'm too old, too impatient, and too busy for anything else at this point in my life.