How long is too long for a common route before you get bored?

[autumn-leaves]

How long is too long for a common route before you start getting bored?
Like I get that we need time to meet all the LIs and set up the story but sometimes it just drags on forever and I'm like can i please just pick a route already.
For me anything past like 3-4 hours starts pushing it unless the writing is really good.

 

[Marrychan]

Hmm... I have a pretty strong opinion about the common route taking up too much of the game; I prefer routes that focus on specific characters over the common route. Longer, common routes showcase more interaction between the characters, although I didn't like Jack Jeanne, it's a good example of this; it has many mini-events with secondary and main characters interacting with each other, which is fun. I rarely drop a game—especially a visual novel—even if I'm not enjoying it. It feels like leaving a book unfinished, and it really bothers me not to complete every route.

 

[noch]

Maybe 15-20% of the entire game, assuming there's like 5-6 routes. If a game is 55-60 hrs long for the average player, that's like anything between 8-20 hrs (sweet spot of 14 hrs)... which seems like a lot, but comparatively is not that bad

 

[satory]

It's hard to explain, but to me the cheapest thing a game can do is to give player all LIs portraits not even an hour from the start, and say "now choose the one you'd like to fu... live a long life with". I'd like story smoothly go to an individual route, not just click on a pretty face, and for that a long common route is a must. 18+ doujinshis are for immediate couples, not the serious stories.

So long story short - I'm okay if the whole game is a common route with short individual episodes depending on choices. But to each their own, 18+ doujinshis are also a good read sometimes

 

[usagi-k]

i personally really enjoy longer common routes since they help me ease into the game's setting as well as give me a good feel of what the characters are like and their dynamics. most games with long common route almost always have a good set up for how the li cast interacts with each other which is one of my favorite parts to read through ^^
and you really only have to sit through it once ^^;;

i will say i dont like it when the common route ends up being longer or equal in length to a character's route like if the common route is 4 chapters then each li should have at least 6 chapters since the main focus is still on the love interests and their stories !