>>720282495 (OP)
the way those games survive and have such high following, is a strong emotional ending
i dont know about celeste or hollow knight but
W3 is a massive slog and one of the most boring games ever, but it has high peak points after you find Ciri, and Ciri's endings are all very emotional with high music that hits you in the feels. people get their ending and suddenly the 30 hours of slog is forgotten and or forgiven
RDR2 is honestly not a bad game but could have been better, /v/'s hate for it is overblown, it does have its issues and is a little too long, but again, it has 2 strong endings that hit you in the feels, and regardless of your opinion, many people have cried upon seeing Arthur die. something like this hit people in the feels and thats how the gmae is so highly regarded
a better example of what I am trying to say is GOW 2018, it is genuinely one of the most boring and dogshit games out there, its not good and the story itself is nothing special, the combat is mid, but, the ending has crazy shit happening all around you for 3 hours straight, after that climax, the 15 hours of slog is again, forgotten or forgiven. it is the most simple of formulas and the most successful one