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The PlayStation 4 has become renowned for its story-intensive games. Quite a few take a while to beat, offering added value. However, it takes fortitude and resilience to beat the longest of games. The following playtime estimates were taken from howlongtobeat.com.
Updated March 11, 2022 by Tom Bowen: With the PlayStation 5 having successfully launched at the tail-end of 2020, the life-cycle of the PS4 will soon be coming to an end. After dominating the console market for nearly a decade, the system has certainly earned its right to an eternal slumber, though it’s not quite in its death throes just yet though. Sony may have already announced the discontinuation of several models, but due to PS5 stock shortages and the machine’s high retail price, it will likely take a while longer for players to transition to the next generation of consoles. Until then, there should still be more than enough time to squeeze in plenty more games, even if some of them end up taking an incredibly long time to beat!
18 Dragon Age: Inquisition - Game Of The Year Edition (60½ Hours)
Following the recent announcement of a new Dragon Age game, many people who are new to the series will likely be considering whether or not it’s worth checking out some of its previous entries. When it comes to Dragon Age: Inquisition, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. Players will have to set aside plenty of time though if they opt to pick up the Game of the Year edition.
The main story will require about 60 hours to beat while completionists will need to invest more than twice that amount if they want to get through everything that the game has to offer. Thankfully, the DLC is fantastic and really adds to the game’s story and so it never really feels like too much of a chore.
17 Clannad (61 Hours)
This Japanese visual novel is based on the popular television series of the same name. Clannad has been around for a while since it was initially released in 2004 in Japan. The story mostly takes place at a private high school and follows the life of Youhei Sunohara, the playable character.
For those looking for a unique experience, Clannad just might be the one for them. The game does have English text, which can be changed in the menu. The game is extraordinarily long, with a main story length of around 60 hours.
16 My Time At Portia (64½ Hours)
My Time At Portia is yet another farming simulator game that has earned acclaim. The game can be criticized for its overly massive world that plays similarly to an MMORPG. However, some would say that it is part of its appeal. Simple quests like fetching apples are made difficult because a high-level monster is guarding them.
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In conclusion, My Time At Portia is a detailed farming simulator and action role-playing game that will keep players engaged for a hefty 64 and a half hours. Its visuals may look a little childish, but the gameplay on offer is anything but.
15 Divinity: Original Sin (67 Hours)
The first Divinity: Original Sin is not quite as critically acclaimed as its hugely successful sequel, but plenty will prefer it for its polished gameplay that was ahead of its time at the time of the game’s release. It’s a turn-based game set in a fantasy world.
Divinity: Original Sin brings enough to the table to compete with games like Baldur’s Gate and other leading RPGs. Many will appreciate the game and invest numerous hours trying to progress through its arduous combat.
14 Rainbow Moon (67 Hours)
Rainbow Moon is a role-playing game that encourages tactical combat. When older gamers think of Rainbow Moon, they typically look to greats like RuneScape and Fire Emblem: Three Houses, both of which are surprisingly similar.
There’s an abundance of content in Rainbow Moon to keep players engaged right throughout the game’s 67-hour main story. However, completionists will find almost twice as much content if they dig deep enough into Rainbow Moon.
13 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel IV (67½ Hours)
The Legend of Heroes games have always been long, but Trails of Cold Steel IV just manages to edge out its predecessors to claim that top spot. Clocking in at more than 65 hours, completing this lengthy JRPG will require some serious graft and dedication as well as a fair amount of grinding too.
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Luckily, it’s one of the better entries in the series which goes some way to justifying its long, meandering story. It’s one of those games that’s able to pull players in and will likely prove popular with JRPG fans regardless of whether or not they have played any of the previous TLoH games. Better still, the PS4 remaster is hands down the best way of experiencing the game meaning there’s never been a better time to check it out.
12 Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris (68 Hours)
The Sword Art Online series is growing increasingly popular in the West, thanks in large to how accessible the anime is when compared with some of the other offerings from Japan. Sadly, however, Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is yet another mediocre adaptation that was littered with technical issues at launch and features one of the slowest introductory chapters in the history of gaming.
The 10+ hours spent toiling away in the game’s opening chapter are indicative of the game’s poor pacing and also contribute towards its ridiculous length. Things do pick up a little once players make it out the game’s opening act, but not nearly enough to justify almost 70 hours of playtime. Longtime fans of the series might decide otherwise, but everybody else would be best to steer clear.
11 Pathfinder: Kingmaker (76 Hours)
Though it’s been available on PC since 2018, Pathfinder: Kingmaker didn’t come to console until mid-2020. It was arguably well worth the wait though, as the version that was released for the PS4 was considerably better than what PC players were treated to at launch.
Owlcat Games’ debut title was inspired by games like Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights and features both real-time and turn-based combat from an isometric perspective. Like most other RPGs, it’s a long old game to get through, with most players needing more than 75 hours to complete the main story.
10 Let It Die (83 Hours)
Let It Die is set in a world where a tectonic disaster has occurred, causing a wave of destruction across the Earth. Players are placed into the shoes of a character named Uncle Death, a reaper who rides a skateboard. This survival action game is one of the hidden gems of the PlayStation 4.
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Come for its survival elements, but stay for its abundance of content. One can craft weapons, armor, and items to aid the players on their journey. They can expect to spend around 83 hours trying to beat this PlayStation 4 game, longer, if they decide to go down the completionist route.
9 Farm Together (83½ Hours)
Another farming simulator game, Farm Together focuses on multiplayer, allowing players to team up with their friends to create the ultimate farm. There’s a surprising amount of customization options thrown in there as well, and a wide range of crops and animals for players to raise and grow in their fields.
One of the best things about Farm Together, however, is the ability to have a pet, which is something that not enough games really offer these days. The massive amount of content that’s on offer is also nice too, mind, and will take the majority of players more than eighty hours to get through.
8 Gwent: The Witcher Card Game (85½ Hours)
The Witcher 3 is packed full of things to see and do, but one of the most enjoyable and relaxing ways to while away a few hours in the game is through the card-based mini-game, Gwent. It proved to be so popular, in fact, that it was eventually given its own standalone release back in 2016.
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game is available on console, windows, and mobile and can take upwards of 85 hours to complete; which is crazy really, considering The Witcher 3 only takes around 50 hours. Of Course, most players typically spend considerably longer with the game due to its replayability and the fantastic DLC packs that followed its release.
7 Elite: Dangerous (89½ Hours)
There have only been four games in the series, yet Elite: Dangerous is part of one of the longest-running video game franchises. With the first game released in 1984, much has changed in Elite: Dangerous. Developer Frontier Developments boldly created one of the most realistic space flight simulation games.
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It takes place in the Milky Way Galaxy, where players will be able to find habitable Earth-like planets. The gameplay is fairly open-ended, but most players will take just shy of 90 hours to beat the main story.
6 SD Gundam G Generation Genesis (91 Hours)
Gundam was initially a TV series that began in 1979. The show inspired the creation of SD Gundam G Generation Genesis, a game with militaristic themes in the science fiction genre. The game is strategy-based and has many parallels to the Super Robot Wars video game series.
With a wide array of powerful Gundam characters to choose from, this game has faults, but it’s undeniable that it provides excellent value. Players can expect to play almost 100 hours trying to beat SD Gundam G Generation Genesis.
5 Rocksmith 2014 Edition – Remastered (92 Hours)
Unlike music rhythm video games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero, Rocksmith 2014 is a game that lets players use a real guitar with the game. Players will need a 1/4 inch jack on the guitar so that it can be plugged directly into the PlayStation 4 system.
Get that, and players will be able to learn the guitar in around 60 days! They’ll even be given the chance to learn more advanced guitar techniques as part of the main story, which spans an impressive 92 hours.
4 SnowRunner (93½ Hours)
Developed by Saber Interactive and published by FHI, SnowRunner is an open-world driving simulator that’s not too dissimilar to games like Euro Truck Simulator. There is one big difference, however, and that is that the game focuses mainly on challenging yet enjoyable off-road driving.
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Players will be tasked with crossing frozen tundras, with snowstorms and icy roads really putting their driving skills to the test. With over 60 different vehicles and a wide array of locations, it’s a game that’s rich in content as well as in challenge, as evidenced by its 93 and a half-hour main story average.
3 Gems Of War (93½ Hours)
Gems of War isn’t a bad puzzle game by any stretch of the imagination. Unfortunately, however, it is incredibly generic and falls some way short of the genre’s best offerings. As a result, it’s hard to imagine how anybody could sink the kind of time into it that’s required for beating the main story.
Sure enough, though, there are a handful of people out there who clearly think otherwise, as evidenced by the game’s 93 and a half-hour average playthough time on HowLongtoBeat. Perhaps it’s something that only hardcore fans of puzzle games can fully appreciate?
2 Persona 5 Royal (103 Hours)
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona is becoming renowned as a games series with the longest games. The latest addition to the franchise is the highly acclaimed and lengthy Persona 5 Royal. Persona 5 Royal improved on the original by adding another semester, new characters/confidants, and new relationships.
Persona 5 Royal is the longest role-playing game in PlayStation 4 history. Players can delve deep into this game as they attempt to beat over 140 hours of content under a completionist run. Who are the Phantom Thieves, and what are their motives?
1 Farming Simulator 19 (143 Hours)
The latest installment in the Farming Simulator series is a game changer. Fields are no longer flat, adding a layer of complexity to the logistics of farming. The type of tires that a player chooses can affect their slippage, for example. Moreover, the game has an improved user interface.
Farming might sound dull and repetitive, yet micromanaging different farming activities proves to be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. There is plenty of content to keep players engaged. Farming Simulator 19 is the longest game in PlayStation 4 history, with an average playtime of 143 hours.
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