Back in the day, when video games were still a fun novelty rather than the globally recognized and lucrative industry they are today, it was rare to see a game release that offered endless content for players to dive into.
7 Amazing PS2 Games With 100+ Hours Of Content
Even back in the 2000s, some games were able to offer 100+ hour runtimes
Due to the limitations of the hardware, the smaller budgets, and the Wild West nature of the industry as a whole, games tended to be shorter, sweeter affairs that maybe kept you on the hook for 10-20 hours at most. That wouldn’t even scratch the itch of most AAA fans today, but those were the breaks back then.
That said, there were a few anomalies that would pop up every now and again, offering gamers the chance to get more bang for their buck than just about any competing game on the market.
So, we want to look back fondly atsome games of yesteryearthat boast more content than some blockbuster games of the current era.
We will use HowLongToBeat as our benchmark for all completion times and will only consider games from the fifth generation or older.
10Diablo 2
Completion Time: 241 Hours
Ifyou’ve played any ARPGs in your time, you’ll know that one thing is always the case. The real game doesn’t start until you reach the end-game. You can rattle through the main story of Diablo 2 in about thirty hours, but you’re far from done.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not infinite like the popular ARPGs of today, but you’ll still have a lot of enemies to slay, uber-bosses to defeat, loot to grab, and dedicated hardcore modes to take on if you want to say that you’ve truly seen all you may in Diablo 2.
This is a game that still holds up today, and is played regularly thanks to Diablo II: Resurrected, showcasing that this one is still up there with the ARPG greats despite its age.
Some would even argue that Diablo II still serves as the pinnacle of the series, and with Activision Blizzard regularly rustling the jimmies of every long-term fan, it’s hard to argue with that sentiment.
9Harvest Moon: Back to Nature
Completion Time: 196 Hours
Harvest Moon: Back to Nature
As much as anyone who has playeda modern farming simulatorwill tell you that these are little cozy games that are meant to offer lighthearted and laid-back experiences, a veteran farmer will know better than to listen to their lies. As these games are huge and require a grind mindset to truly complete.
Harvest Moon 64 is no different, as players will need to pass their evaluation, upgrade their farmstead to the max, fill their photo album, socialize, and romance all options available, collect all animals and tools, and get rich beyond their wildest dreams.
The only way to do that is by being diligent with your time, automating your farmstead, and it probably wouldn’t hurt to start a spreadsheet or two just to keep on top of it all. It ain’t much, but it’s honest work.
8Digimon World
Completion Time: 113 Hours
Digimon World
Back in the 1990s, there was a certain pocket monster franchise that was taking the world by storm, not leaving much breathing space for another on the market. But, against the odds, the Digimon series managed to carve out a portion of the niche for itself, which led to some great games like Digimon World.
I’ll admit that Digimon World has little tono interest in tutorialing its mechanics or onboarding players, as you really get dropped in the deep end. However, those who stick with it will come to find that this creature tamer is a deep, enjoyable adventure.
You could just play through the story and finish up in about 30 hours, but completionists have the option to get the most out of File City, as you’re able to seek out all Digimon and trigger all Digievolutions, master all the mini-games, collect all the rare items, and max out all your stats.
Fair warning, it’s a bit of a grind, but what good JRPG isn’t? So, embrace the grind and get into this futuristic retro title.
7Gran Turismo 2
Completion Time: 102 Hours
Gran Turismo 2
If you’re looking for an arcade racer with high-octane action. Over-the-top racing is the order of the day; you have Burnout, Ridge Racer, and a handful of others that will scratch that itch. However, if you want the real deal, Gran Turismo has always been the go-to.
Offering over 600 cars to collect for your garage, a wealth of tracks to master, and a license system that forces you to hone your craft behind the wheel, it all culminates in a racing experience deeper than anyone could have imagined backin the PSX era.
Plus, with the addition of simulation mode, you effectively had a second game tacked on, allowing you to extend your time on the track twofold.
Only a true petrol-head will be able to earn all the gold medals required for 100%, but if you have the need for speed and a hunger to cross the finish line first, then we suggest you give it a shot.
6Sid Meier’s Civilization
Completion Time: 152 Hours
Sid Meier’s Civilization
Even decades on, the CIV series is one of those ever-present games that suck you in with the notion of playing ‘just a few rounds’. Then, before you know it, the sun is coming up and you’re locked in a diplomatic debate with Gandhi. Well, this isn’t a new thing for the series, as it provided oodles of depth right from the outset.
This game was the first of its kind, effectivelyhard-launching the 4X strategy genre, and did so by offering intricate systems that just about any other strategy game at the time couldn’t dream of matching.
Sure, many of them were unbalanced and exploitable, but for a first attempt, it was spectacular and set the wheels in motion for all the fantastic Sid Meier titles that would follow thereafter.
Finishing a campaign was already a pretty lengthy endeavor, but to be a true completionist, you would need to achieve the highest possible ranks, build all the possible wonders of the world, and much more.
You’ll have to endure some pretty dated visuals, but the trade-off is being able to turn Gandhi into a bloodlusting warlord, and if you ask me, that’s a fair trade.
5Rollercoaster Tycoon
RollerCoaster Tycoon
From one retro strategy management game to another, but mercifully, Rollercoaster Tycoon is far less dense than Civ. It’s a game that has a much more lighthearted and silly feel to proceedings, but the need for growth and to embrace capitalism is alive and well, regardless.
Weirdly, the game still looks very visually appealing thanks to the vibrant color palette and isometric design. Additionally, the game’s management systems continue to function excellently, providing a steady sense of progression. You know, unless you keep building vomit-inducing deathtraps. But, even if you do, it’s still fun to watch the carnage unfold in real time.
In truth, it’s a game that you may do as much or as little as you like and still have a ball, but to be considered a completionist, you’ll need to complete all 21 challenging scenarios, which is no small feat.
It’ll take a lot of trial and error, and a lot of puke clean-up. But that’s business.
4Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Completion Time: 110 Hours
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
You can always count on a JRPG to offer an extensive end-game that will keep you on the hook for hours as you grind up your party’s level, defeat mammoth bosses, and collect all the loot you missed on your first pass.
This extends to the Tactics Ogre series, and in particular to Let Us Cling Together, which not only offers some of thefinest grid-based tactical JRPG combatof its time but also offers a riveting story with multiple paths to explore and an art style that still looks gorgeous today.
You could play through once in just forty hours, but because of the game’s three branching Lawful, Neutral, and Chaos paths, you may pretty much multiply that time by three if you want to fully complete this classic tactical JRPG.
Plus, if you’re looking for a good way to play today, it’s also ported to the PSP, so dust it off if you have one and get cracking.
3Baldur’s Gate
Completion Time: 101 Hours
Baldur’s Gate
When the name Baldur’s Gate is mentioned these days, it usually sparks conversation about Larian Studios' monumental modern CRPG that firmly cemented itself as a major part of the eternal debate over which game is the best of all time. However, many forget that Baldur’s Gate existed long before this.
Under the watchful eye of Mass Effect and Dragon Age developer BioWare, this CRPG burst onto the scene, offering the most authentic and complete DND experience one could have without assigning someone the role of dungeon master and sitting down for a tabletop session.
Finishing this game 100% requires you to get to know all companions, finish all side quests, beat the game on the highest difficulty, and optimize your character build as much as possible. It doesn’t come close to offering the replay value of BG3, but in fairness, hardly anything does.
2Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow
Completion Time: 100 Hours
Pokemon Red
With each new Pokémon game that hit the shelves, before the advent of online trading, the overall completion time would continually rise higher and higher, as more and more Pokémon were required to complete your Pokedex.
But let’s be honest, the bar wasn’t exactly on the floor to begin with, as right back at the beginning of the Pokémon series, you would need to put in 100 solid hours if you wanted to clear Kanto and catch all 151 Pokémon native to the region.
Kids today won’t understand, but back then, this would require attending special events, and linking by an actual, physical link cable with friends who owned the alternative version of the game with exclusive Pokémon.
We really had to work for it back then, and as a result, catching them all took a lot longer.
1The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind
Completion Time: 300 Hours
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
If there is a series that you can count on when it comes to offering a vast open world with endless things to do, it’s The Elder Scrolls.
Most modern gamers will be most aware of the scope and scale of places like Cyrodill and Skyrim, but despite its age, Morrowind is equally massive and packed with content. Admittedly, it’s much less accessible due to the much more RPG-focused design, but that makes for a richer experience, trust me.
With a main quest, various factions to rise to the top of, Daedric questlines, random side quests, and a bounty of dungeons and points of interest to discover and explore, it’s feasible that you could play Morrowind for hundreds of hours and still have plenty left to see and do.
It still shocks me how many huge TES fans have never played this outstanding game within the series, so if this happens to be you, get on the next boat to Morrowind and start your adventure.
