Role-playing games have been a core genre of video games for a straightforward reason: expansibility. The elements of role-playing can add depth to any video game, making them longer than usual. This is why most RPGs are so massive nowadays. Surprisingly enough, even in the 90s, many RPGs took hours to complete.
Whether it is a quick run-through of the main story or a full-blown completionist playthrough, these games were the ones that took the most amount of time to finish. Here's a look at some of the longest main story campaigns of the nineties, with data from HowLongToBeat.
Updated on April 26, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra: RPGs are known for being lengthy and immersive experiences that will keep players on the edge of their seats up till the very end. This is especially true in the case of titles in the 90s, which were all about cramming as much game time while adhering to the limitations of the time. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, with the following titles being great examples of excellent titles that gave players quite a bang for their buck indeed.
15 Diablo (14 Hours)
Released in November of 1997, Diablo is an action-RPG developed and published by Blizzard. These are the same guys who won the Gamer God award at Spike TV Video Game Awards 2011, and some part of their success goes to the Diablo franchise.
The story-driven RPG is still one of the best games around. It has a deep focus on the characters, and the story is easily one of the best in the series. The overall length of the game should take players fourteen to twenty hours to complete.
14 System Shock 2 (16 Hours)
System Shock 2 is hailed as one of the greatest immersive sims ever made, which is quite a massive achievement given the litany of amazing games in this series. The gameplay was tough yet fair, while the atmospheric horror turned System Shock 2 into a downright masterpiece.
The fact that this game still holds up well to this day shows just how revolutionary System Shock 2 was for its time. It's an excellent title that deserves all the praise in the world for being such a groundbreaking game, molding the likes of legendary games like BioShock.
13 Chrono Trigger (26 1/2 Hours)
Chrono Trigger is a legendary JRPG that needs no introduction. The creators of Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and Dragon Ball all banded together to create an epic time-traveling adventure that is brilliant in every way, shape, and form.
Most people would be surprised to find out that Chrono Trigger can be completed in such a short amount of time. After all, given the wealth of side content and secrets present in this title, a person trying to uncover all the content in the game can enjoy this title for more than twice this length.
12 Pokémon Red And Blue (26 1/2 Hours)
The original Pokémon titles have to be the ones behind the massive success of the series. Pokémon Red and Blue were released in 1996 on Nintendo Gameboy and have since become one of the essential Nintendo exclusive games.
The game is played in a top-down view, focusing on fighting rival Pokémon and collecting them as well. From music to the environments, these games have invented a kind of immersion not experienced before.
11 Dragon Warrior 3 (28 Hours)
While not many people would remember it, the Dragon Warrior series is one of the best of its time. Dragon Quest 3: The Seeds of Salvation (Dragon Warrior 3) is a JRPG that was one of the biggest games in the series.
The game was released on Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992 and has received majorly positive reviews. One part of this success can be credited to the overwhelmingly large length of the game, taking an average of 27 to 33 hours to beat.
10 Fallout 2 (30 1/2 Hours)
Fallout 2 was released in the pre-Bethesda days, which meant the developers went crazy with ideas and creativity. This game is an example of what a lot of original Fallout fans miss in newer games. The game was released in 1998 and was received pretty well by the fans and critics.
The main aspects of this game that people still praise to date are the dialogues and storyline. Fallout 2 is all about immersion in the post-apocalyptic world, and this immersion can easily cost a player around fifty hours.
9 Revelations: Persona (32 Hours)
The first game of the legendary Persona franchise was released in 1996 for the PlayStation. The game was titled Revelations: Persona and has a playstyle that was later evolved into the Persona games we love and know.
The new game met with a positive response by fans and critics, essentially kickstarting a series of RPGs that are one of a kind. Revelations: Persona can easily take anywhere between thirty-four to seventy-seven hours to finish all the main story and extra missions.
8 The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall (32 Hours)
The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall is a game a lot of gamers have forgotten, mostly because of the launch of much more significant titles such as Skyrim. However, back in the day, Daggerfall was the epitome of action-RPGs done right.
The game was released in 1996 on MS-DOS, which may sound like an ancient tech by today's standards. But truth be told, the game was probably a step in the right direction. That being said, the game was so massive and empty that it became overkill for many fans.
7 Suikoden 2 (33 Hours)
In the late 90s, the PlayStation exclusive title Suikoden 2 came out to the right mix of positive reviews. The game was later released on PC as well. Suikoden 2 is a hybrid of strategy and role-playing elements, making it a unique experience for its time.
The game takes place years after the events of the first game, essentially centering on an invasion angle. The story of the game speaks for itself and is pretty ironic because the main protagonist is silent.
6 Planescape: Torment (42 1/2 Hours)
Planescape: Torment is one of the most unique CRPGs on this list. In a genre that was dominated by turn-based combat, Planescape: Torment kept its narrative at the forefront and turned combat into more of a rarity, which was pretty refreshing.
It helped that the story of this game was absolutely splendid. Piecing together the story of the Nameless One was pretty entertaining and was easily the best part of the overall experience.
5 Baldur's Gate (44 Hours)
Quickly taking forty-four to fifty-six hours, Baldur's Gate is one hefty classic unlike anything else. The game stays true to the role-playing nature and indulge players into a breathtakingly dark and gritty world.
Released in 1998, the game is exclusive to PC and Mac, which is also the most significant factor in its success. The game is meant for hardcore role-play fans and is marketed on a system that provides the most seamless way to interact and play.
4 The Legend Of Dragoon (48 1/2 Hours)
Shockingly enough, a few console RPGs were longer than a Window title such as Baldur's Gate. Most notably, The Legend of Dragoon. The game is a forgotten PlayStation exclusive that desperately needs a reboot.
It came out back in 1999 to positive reviews and has created a brand new world for gamers to explore. The game didn't only show off the power of OG PlayStation but also reinvented many elements of an RPG.
3 Final Fantasy 8 (53 Hours)
The era of 3D Final Fantasy games on the PlayStation was when the franchise truly hit its peak in terms of popularity. Final Fantasy 7 was the game that kickstarted this wave of mainstream attention, which was carried forward by Final Fantasy 8 with its complex systems and mind-bending narrative.
While Final Fantasy 8 might not be everyone's favorite game, there's no denying that this game still features a ton of amazing content. Once players come to grips with the Junction System, they'll realize just how great it actually is.
2 Heroes Of Might And Magic 3 (60 1/2 Hours)
Here's probably the lengthiest RPG of the 90s, Heroes of Might and Magic 3. Released at the end of 1999, this was an RPG for the hardcore fans. The game has received overwhelmingly positive reviews, and one reason could be its length.
The gameplay of Heroes of Might and Magic 3 revolves around role-play exploration and turn-based strategy. The main story of the game is spread across seven playable campaigns, which can take a player anywhere between sixty-one to a hundred hours to complete.
1 Xenogears (63 Hours)
Xenogears is one of the greatest JRPGs ever made... at least, if one only looks at the first half. The second half of this game falls off the rails due to the project losing its budget and exposition coming in the forms of walls of text to hide the fact that the game had just run out of funds.
It's a shame, especially since Xenogears could've proven to be something magical had it been allowed to reach its true potential. As things stand, it's nothing more than a game with a strong opening before the second half completely ruins the amazing atmosphere and vibe of this brilliant game.