These past days i read some reviews about the latest DLC for BioShock 2, called "Minerva's Den". According to many reviewers the DLC takes about 4 to 6 hours to finish it, but after playing it myself (on hard difficulty) i noticed that it took me more like 12 hours. I had the same thing with BioShock and BioShock 2, in that it took me way longer to finish these games than reviewers apparently did. For example, the first time i played BioShock it took me more than 30 hours to complete. Even now, after already played it at least 5 times, it takes me between 20-25 hours.

Sure, i can finish the game in 8-10 hours or less if i just stick to my objectives and close my eyes for all the rest that Rapture offers, but than i won't enjoy it. When i play BioShock i'm totally sucked into the world of Rapture, the story and the great gameplay mechanics that offer a lot of options and depth. When i play the game i'm exploring every inch of the city, searching for every item there is, paying a lot of attention to the surroundings and story to get the full experience.

For me this is a "normal" way to play games (not all games, though), but i have the feeling that more and more people tend to "rush" through games. I can imagine that it works like that for reviewers, but for the average gamer? So yeah, what about you? How did you play BioShock (1, 2 or Minerva's Den), or games in general?

Ps. This is my first thread, so in case i mess something up, than you know why

i'm a pretty defensive player so i always tend to come in at the high end or higher than any estimated play time.  BUT...since the reviews always play the games create that stat the same way it is still a pretty good gauge of playtime once you calibrate the system to yourself.

Good thread. I didn't complete Bioshock, i came only half ways or a lil bit more. Took me around 10 hours.

I am like you, I play slow and explore nearly everything. Wolfenstein took me 12 hours when reviews said 6-8 hours.

I play them together with a friend through skype XD so it goes slow sometimes waiting for each other :P We play through it together, so if one goes too fast he has to wait a bit for the other one xD So we play at the tempo the slowest one of us has.

Indeed. If reviewers say a game takes 10 hours to reach, and it's an "open" game like Bioshock, than i know it'll take me more like 20-30 hours. BUT, I almost never read reviews, so for me it's not really a problem at all.

@Slimebeast: Wolfenstein in a relaxing 12 hours? Nice! Btw, are you planning to still finish BioShock sometime? 

@Ferryarthur: Playing BioShock with someone else through Skype? Interesting But that means you two play the same way, righ? Or at least exploring wise.

Btw, can someone tell me how i can quote more people in one post?

Its pretty fun to do, though we usually overeact on purpose xD Its good for a laugh or two.

We`re just talking and minding our business, WHILE OMG SOMETHING SUDDENLY ATTACKS ME!!! my friends hears that and is trying to beat the suprise attack , what is it ? where it coming from DUDE:P

or we hear/see something,

Me : you go first

Him : no you go.

We also just like to make fun of each other, the first time was the best, once you turn of the game for the first time it isn`t so exciting anymore the second time :P Now we see everything coming, which is a shame :P Its just our way of giving an extra twist to a game, we only do it with Bioshock 1/2.

We can keep up with each other, if my friend is exploring I`ll just explore too so i don`t have too wait 2 much. If one of us wants to do or try something the other one usually does it aswell so he doesn`t get bored.

I too play games fairly slow. Some games i fail to complete because of it. I might play the game twice as long as needed to beat it, but I'm always doing all the extra stuff so I might get bored before I finish it lol.

I think it was about  17 hours it took me to do when I played it.  I haven't replayed it, but if/when I do I'll probably be quite direct while playing it.

I'm the type to look around at the environment extensively too.

Another example would be Fallout 3 - since almost all the items on the tables and shelves are able to be picked up, it takes a long time to scan through all of them. But I think generally people who play this game have a long playtime.