Some video game stories are so good that players only focus on progressing through the main mission and ignore the side content. In other games, the side content is so good that players will be immersed for hours just exploring or helping NPCs, even if the main story is also great. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt That's a good example, but there are other games where side quests are important.
A game that 8 RPG players always recommend to their friends
Find out why these RPGs are must-play experiences that players will always want to share with friends and family.
The next game may have filler, but most of these experiences have enough good side content that even a little bit of fat can be ignored. Players will not easily forget this game's quests at any time.
Rearranges covers into correct US release order.
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Rearranges covers into correct US release order.
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Baldur's Gate 3
CREATE YOUR STORY
Baldur's Gate 3 Each set piece is divided into chapters, each with a large, expansive world to explore. Players can progress straight through the narrative, or explore each area in depth to discover secret paths through the main story or ways to circumvent conflicts.
The game's greatest strength is its open-ended structure and branching storyline, meaning no two campaigns are the same. It's not your typical turn-based tactical game where the goal is to get the best loot. It's all about immersing players in the world through dynamic interactions, satisfying their curiosity, and blurring the lines between what's a side quest and what's not.
Claire Obsker: Expedition 33
the great third act
Claire Obsker: Expedition 33 It's an homage to classic turn-based JRPGs, but with a French twist. For example, there's a world map with side areas leading to deep dungeons to explore, or secret bosses/NPCs that will deepen your in-game lore.
These side quests are minimal throughout the game, but expand in later chapters as the player fully explores the game world and gains the ability to fly. dragon quest to final fantasy. Some of these side areas and bosses are so well designed that they can outshine the main areas, like the unfinished tower stretching into the sky or the secret dungeon in the sea.
mass effect 2
All About Companions
mass effect 2 The world design is fairly linear, as players are unable to explore a large, expansive world. Instead, they travel to specific locations on planets or space stations for missions. Most games focus on story, but when there is side content, it usually leads to interesting side elements that go beyond simple quests to get gear.
The best quests in the game are linked to companions, and the greater the bond, the more missions you unlock to deepen these characters. mass effect The series is known for its squad-based gunplay as well as its party-based gameplay.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
no black and white
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an action RPG that takes every type of typical RPG quest and subverts expectations. There is an initial quest that requires players to break into a cabin to retrieve a frying pan, and while it may seem like a simple fetch quest, the mini-story within this quest is more difficult than it needs to be.
8 open world games with better side content than the main quest
The main quest isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the flashy side content in these open world games just overshadows it.
This is just a small example, but a larger quest would infuse a much greater sense of mystery and drama that would be written so well that it could branch out into an entire subplot within the RPG. There aren't any quests. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Then the players won't think about it.
Chrono Trigger
time control
Chrono Trigger It's a classic turn-based SNES RPG that won't waste your time with a sea of endless quests. When one presents itself, it usually involves many steps that change the situation at each period or over several periods. For example, players can explore how Luca's mother lost the ability to walk properly or investigate church architecture.
Even without voice actors, players will feel deeply connected to each quest, and it goes without saying that the game's main story as a whole is fantastic, well-paced, and easily one of the console's best stories.
Suikoden 2
muster an army
Suikoden II


- released
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September 29, 1999
- ESRB
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M is for adults 17+ due to mild violence and suggestive themes.
most Suikoden 2 Side quests are tied to gathering all of the game's party members, making it a journey. that Suikoden The series is famous for the 108 fateful surnames used to refer to party members. This includes the protagonist and characters that are unlocked through the story, but most of them are extras.
Suikoden 2 This is a prime example, as players try to build up their resistance and the more characters they get, the more powerful they can be in big, important battles. Not all party members will receive an epic story. Some simply require you to find a story or provide items to participate. But even small interactions have value.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
The evolving 16-bit world
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars This is another turn-based SNES RPG that has fewer quests but is powerful. This was Mario's first RPG and did a good job of incorporating platforming action elements into its combat system and exploration segments. Most side quests were tied to hidden areas or secret bosses like Culex that helped populate the world.
This is a great example of an RPG that changes the way areas are determined based on where the player is in the story. Older locations may offer new NPCs and quests later in the game, which was rare in SNES games.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Expand the galaxy far and wide
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Another game from BioWare that proves they know how to fill RPGs with significant action. Set 1000 years before its predecessor and allowing players to essentially create their own Jedi, the game allowed fans to explore a galaxy far, far away like they could in no game before.
10 open world games where small discoveries are more important than big quests
The wonders in these open world games never end if you know where to look, and what you discover is often more important than the main quest.
From Tatooine to Kashyyyk, each planet they visited was filled with side quests to help expand their lore. It was the best fan game at the time, and although the graphics look old compared to newer games, star wars same game star wars outlaw Now, there's no better game than building a world through quests. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
parasite eve
Linear Detective RPG
parasite eve was a linear RPG set in New York City that followed detective Aya Brea as she faced a major supernatural incident. Access to the world map was limited as players moved between cities, with locations typically unlocked as they progressed. But there were also some side areas, like warehouses containing rare items and challenging crab bosses.
More importantly, the New Game+ mode, which added the Chrysler Building as an area, included a massive side quest to unlock a hidden ending. This might be the most important example of a side quest in a PS1 RPG of this era.
Persona 3 Reload
your friends are powerful
Persona 3 Reload is a remake of the turn-based original PS2 game with a few updates to make this linear RPG go faster. There are fetch quests that aren't all that important other than filler, but the game features Social Links, one of the best persistent quest systems in any RPG.
From training at school to eating ramen to watching movies, spending time with party members and NPCs across Japan allows players to get to know these characters beyond what is presented in the main story. These bonds also have combat bonuses, giving players extra incentive, but the story they'll unlock is the real reward.
RPG with the best companion system
These colleagues will never disappoint you. We'll take a closer look at them and what makes their systems so special in the next game.