In Praise Of Games That End

We've trained ourselves to expect endless games, ones designed to never finish. So when Hollow Lantern wrapped up in about four hours, my first reaction was mild annoyance. It faded fast.

A short game that knows what it's doing leaves a cleaner memory than a bloated one. Hollow Lantern told its drowned-town story, let the puzzles breathe, and bowed out before repetition set in.

There's room on your phone for both kinds. But I think we undervalue the games that end, probably because the stores reward the ones that keep you tapping forever.

If you're burned out on infinite loops, go play something that has a credits screen. It's a weirdly refreshing feeling.