The box isn't kidding when it calls the game an Epic Strategy Game. You're looking at a good five to six hours per game if you go through all four eras. More sometimes, because the game plays so differently each time depending on which colony cards come out. How to play is going to completely change each time because some abilities are not available that you used extensively in the previous game, and you gain abilities that you did not have last time. The length can be a deterrent for some gamers but that's part of the appeal to my son and me. We do, however, have a game room where games can remain set up indefinitely. You could put it away and set it up again by simply taking pictures of the arrangement of tiles and workers. There is so much to do in this game that you will never do everything in any one gameplay. It just begs to be played again to try different strategies. And again. And again. And again!