This game is short, I just started act 5  with about 4 hours on the clock. However, this is one of the most intense games from moment to moment that I have ever played. Does anyone complain that Geometry Wars wasn't long enough? No one cares because they are completely invested in actually playing the game and trying not to die and scoring multipliers. The intensity more than covers for the short length, too long might give you a brain aneurism. 
 
I actually love longer games just because I am getting more for the money but Vanquish isn't like other games, it's like 100 proof alcohol: awesome but too much would kill you. I loved Bayonetta too but I actually think it was a little too long, towards the end I got a little tired of wailing on fools. Vaquish's story is actually more coherent than Bayonetta but I would also say Vanquish's action is better.  
 
With so much Japanese craziness I have decided that there is awesome Japanese crazy (Vanquish, Bayonetta) and bad Japanese crazy (insert like a million games here), I dig the Japanese spin on shooters that Vaquish represents. I hope that it sells enough to generate a sequel!

Bayonetta had great gameplay & bad packaging... poor narrative (not the standard 3-act structure & awful characters) but I respected it for being so wildly, Japanese-crazy.  Vanquish also has great gameplay but they went and pandered to stereotypical western tastes with the story & visuals. Big men, big guns, space marines, etc..  I think gamers can appreciate Japanese games for their own merits.. and the devs shouldn't have to compromise their vision for the sake of pandering to western tastes.  It's a tough place to be, i suppose. 

It's not the size of the wave... but rather it's the motion of the ocean.

" Bayonetta had great gameplay & bad packaging... poor narrative (not the standard 3-act structure & awful characters) but I respected it for being so wildly, Japanese-crazy.  Vanquish also has great gameplay but they went and pandered to stereotypical western tastes with the story & visuals. Big men, big guns, space marines, etc..  I think gamers can appreciate Japanese games for their own merits.. and the devs shouldn't have to compromise their vision for the sake of pandering to western tastes.  It's a tough place to be, i suppose.  "

I had reach, but she had flexibility.

I'd go with intensity... because of the Call of Duty games.

" I had reach, but she had flexibility. "

You guys are 100% right. People get so caught up with length. 
 
There was a line I heard once where someone said: "People say you should stop smoking because you'll live longer. But in fact it only seems longer".
 
What I think that means is that people are more interested in quantity than quality because quantity is easier to measure. I only bought Vanquish on Friday but I'd say I've had more enjoyment out of it than I've had with most other games I've bought this year (the 25 hours I've sunk into Civilization 5 come to mind).
 
I'm a little sick of games being measured by their length. Does anyone go to rent a movie and say: "well this one looks good but its only 90 minutes where as this other one is two and a half hours so I'm getting that one." 
 
Besides, I'm still on my first playthrough of Vanquish and there are at least 10 chapters I want to play again. Plus I haven't even finished the 1st of the challenges, them things is hard!

There are games that take a long time to beat and they're good too.
 
Those are the best kinds of games. Why should we have to compromise? Why can't we have both?

With me, you can always have them both, baby.
 
Or wait, is that not what this thread's about?

I'm probably the only one who would prefer a longer game at slightly less quality than a short one that's nigh perfect.

" I'm probably the only one who would prefer a longer game at slightly less quality than a short one that's nigh perfect. "