No RPG needs to be longer than 40 hours

Superhero fatigue isn't a real thing, Marvel just makes bad movies now

When I think about the last 10 years of games, or more specifically, storytelling in games, there's a big, glaring problem: So much of it feels insubstantial. Some stories have memorable moments, sure, and others are entertaining. But for a medium striving so hard to prove its artistic value, very few video game stories have much to say — and even less conviction that what they do say is important.

There's a small handful of examples to the contrary, like The Last of Us Part 2, and it's a style of storytelling I want to see more of.

What The Last of Us 2 says about revenge and grief is heavy-handed, with almost criminal disregard for subtlety and nuance. But it works because Naughty Dog believed it was a worthwhile vision and built it into every part of the game. It's an exhausting and uniquely miserable experience. Which is the point.

You're sad and angry that, after all the heartache she caused, Ellie still values her own needs more than the people who love her — more than her child. Every step forward is one you don't want to take, and by the end, you can't believe it's still going, that she’s still doing the same thing again and again. The message might not be especially profound. But Naughty Dog had a specific argument and stood behind it, whether or not every player........

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