How long do you give a game to hook you?

[Peench]

In reading some of the posts here about Mass Effect I saw that people were initially a bit turned off by the game but that those who gave it an hour or more ended up being engrossed in the storyline and enjoying the game. This got me thinking about how long it takes for a game to hook me. It doesn't necessarily have to be a plot or SP game, but I have played games in the past that simply hooked me (for whatever reason) right away, while others have seemed to drag on and on and simply sucked no matter how long I played them. I'm sure you all have had similar experiences.

So the poll this week is how long do you give a game before you take it out of your gaming console? Do you make a snap judgment in the first 5 minutes? Do you give it an hour or two? Do you give it more time based on what you consider "potential" in the game's story or gameplay mechanics? Let us know.

[Twilight]

My first session with MASS EFFECT lasted about 40 minutes and I was kinda dissapointed with it. 2-3 days later I turned it back on and gave it another try. Once I got out of the damned citadel and roaming the galaxy, i was hooked on it.

Another game that comes to mind like that was Shadowrun. It seemed way too complicated the first couple times I played it. I had a couple of buds that were into it or I probably would have turned it back in. After a couple days, I was hoplessly hooked on this as well.

I usually give a game a fair chance unless it's obviously garbage. If I just rent a random game without knowing much about it (Chromehounds for instance) and it turns me off from the beginning, I will ditch it after an hour or 2.

If I have seriously high hopes for a game based on familiarity with the developer or franchise, I will give it more time and this usually pays off. The one exception that comes to mind was Star Trek Legacy. I had really high hopes for it, but it was a total suck-fest. Too high of a learning curve with little payoff.

[Spzombie]

Somtimes i'm hooked before I even buy the game. Like CoD4, I knew I was gonna like it, the beta confirmed it, and I love the game. Some other's take some convincing. Like Tenchu Z, Damn you Dave!!! naw it's an ok game and if I based it off of the demo I would have never picked it up.

[D_Litch]

I give it about 2 hours. If I'm still hating it after that, I stop playing.

[namehater]

im very quick to get rid of games fast, im very picky on what games i really get into, but i usually get bored with SP quickly no matter what, i havent gotten very far into the cod4 SP, never finished bioshock... not sure what it is, but i know if dont like the controls to a game, its done for, im playing kane and lynch right now, the controls are pretty sloppy, but the story is interesting enough, i think im done with it however, despite the good story

0-30min for me

[Desi Cuse]

If its a rental or a demo, then 0-30 minutes. If I ended up buying it, 30-1,5.

[Fragmintz]

I am usually patient with games even if they suck b/c I tend to be very conservative in what I buy. If I haven't been anticipating the game then it's got to score at least an 8.5 combined review on gamerankings.com. I don't have time to buy and play crappy games. On the Mass Effect front, I am still in the Citadel, and so far I am somewhat impressed with the game, but not blown away. I guess I will have to be patient with it, as I have been waiting two years to play this bad boy.

[zombie]

I'm not much of a console gamer, most of you know I live on the computer...But I foresee that I will be buying more games in the near future. Because I am cautious about which games I buy, (I also do not resell the games I enjoy) I tend to give them more of a chance. Although KOTOR II got a quick hook, I should've given that more of a chance.

[Epyon MX]

Most games I buy, I have a pretty good idea that I'm going to like them. So it's rare that I have to give a game time to hook me. Mass Effect was one of those times. I tried it for 30 minutes, gave up and went back to Assassin's Creed. The only reason I gave up so quickly was because I had been warned it would be difficult to get into. And more importantly, I knew this was going to be a game I could really enjoy once I gave it time.

Most demo's from XBLA, I give them 5 minutes. Rented games I'll give and hour and purchased games I'll give 2+ hours. It's all a function of how much I have invested monetarily. And of course, of what I'm most likely to enjoy. With demo's, I'll try just about anything. Rented games I'll a little less venturesome and with purchased games I'm most conservative.

[PureFLCL]

I never met a First Person Shooter I didn't like... But the live arcade games have fallen short for me. Even though I played the games before in arcades the adjustment to the controller just doesn't do it for me. Maybe it's the timing between controller and the TV, but I'm just not happy with the play in most any of them. They lose me after maybe an hour.

[Thornes70]

I try to give all games a good couple of hours. I usually try the demo for games before I buy them, and if they catch my attention, I'll buy them and always try to finish the sp at least (mostly).

Unlike everyone and their cousin, Mass Effect and Assassins Creed weren't big anticipated games for me and I haven't spent much time on either of them after I bought them - but I'll get around to it...eventually. It's important for me to at least try to get my money's worth!

Then I get games like GoW thinking it's gonna be awesome and it doesn't hook me at all & I trade them in. After two hours - I'll know if a game goes to the trade in pile or is kept to collect dust until I finish it.

[Dark Alocer]

It depends on what type of game it is for me. If it's a RTS like Command and Conquer, a REALISTIC OTS shooter or a game I've heard alot about, I'll give it an hour or two even if I'm having to struggle to keep interest. I'm rarely let down in those situations. If it's a RPG, Fantasy, or a FPS, if the opening cut scene doesnt have me on the edge of my seat, I'll give it 30 minutes tops. Controls don't really bother me either. No matter how nasty they are. Two things that are heavy influences when it comes to if I like a game or not. Those are graphics, and the voice-over actors. If either of those are even in the "it could be a little better" range, thats it. I'm not even gonna let it play out a little bit to see if it even has any redeeming qualities. From then on, it's just something else to shoot at on camping trips.

[The Milk Man 09]

On shorter games like FPS's it usually happens within the first hour or so of playing it but when it comes to RPG's I actually have to get used to the game a bit and if I cant even catch on then I am not hooked. So for me it is usually anywhere between 1 and 3 hours.

[lovekeiiy]

Like Epyon, it's really about the money. Since I buy half my games used or on sale, it really depends. I try demos, to usually mediocer feelings. I find it usually the except that a demo really captures the must have feeling. Demos are more just a glimpse since most are not on a final build.

As for how long, I'm usually not very patient. I tend to do read/watch a lot of reviews on games. Must have games have to be in genres I've enjoyed in the past, and score very well, or be from a game company I think needs help because they tend to produce games I generally enjoy (2K sports).

As for the time, if I buy a game for $20, it's a game I thought would be fun, but was skeptical or genre I may not traditionally enjoy. So if it doesn't hook me after a few hours, I don't care. It's also not uncommon for me not to play the game more than an hour. If I'm buying a new game, it gets about an hour before it join the dust collector pile. Overall, I've done pretty well in buying new games I enjoy.

Unfortunately for me, most games are not a must have. Some games I may really enjoy playing, but I won't feel missed out if I never play it. The only game that's must have for me is Zelda.

[goblue52]

It has to be pretty quick for me. Too many good games to be wasting my precious gaming time on stinkers!