Summary
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3 features the best side quests in the series, enhancing lore and storytelling.
- Cyberpunk 2077 highlights the importance of side quests for unlocking good endings in the game.
- Elden Ring's obtuse side quests help players understand the lore better and unlock various endings.
Open-world games feature a ton of side content to keep fans engaged. There was a time when these side quests generally followed a template that didn't lead to any major changes in the narrative, but some stand-out open-world titles take a different approach.
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These open-world games offer near-infinite playtime with content that goes beyond the main quests.
Players who want to enjoy the lore and storytelling of their games should make it a point to check out the side quests in these stellar open-world games. The writing is excellent and ensures that players will be invested in the narratives these titles convey.
8 Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Features the Best Side Quests in the Series That Flesh Out the Lore and Story
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
- Released
- July 29, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
While the previous games in the Xenoblade series feature decent side quests in their own right, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is where this reaches new heights. The main story will reveal many threads that can be explored in side quests that help flesh out the world.
Helping out the people in the colonies is genuinely rewarding, especially since players get to enjoy some great dialogue and gameplay moments in the process. Even the simplest quests in the game have the potential to be heartfelt, to the point where most people will swear by the fact that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 features the best side quests to ever feature in a JRPG.
7 Cyberpunk 2077
The Good Endings Require Players to Complete Certain Quests
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
As one would expect from a CD Projekt Red game, Cyberpunk 2077 features some of the best side quests players can experience in an open-world game. Some side quests are self-contained but feature characters who get some closure in the ending, while others are downright necessary for players who want to unlock all the game's endings.
Without helping Rogue and the Aldecaldos, players will be locked out from experiencing the other endings in the game. This makes it clear that the side quests are just as important as the main story and mandatory for players who want to enjoy the full Cyberpunk 2077 experience.
6 NieR: Automata
The Side Quests Are as Emotional as They Come
NieR: Automata
- Released
- March 7, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Platinum Games
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
NieR: Automata is one of the most beautiful open-world games players can enjoy. The game's mysterious world is fleshed out with many side quests that seem simple but do a great job of enhancing the lore of the series.
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If players want to unlock all of the game's content, then some side quests are necessary for the game's joke endings. Sure, the side quests themselves may not be the most riveting part of the game, but they do just enough to help familiarize players with the wasting world of NieR: Automata.
5 Elden Ring
Like Most FromSoftware Games, the Obtuse Side Quests Give Players a Greater Understanding of the Story
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment, From Software
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
One of the greatest open-world games ever made, players who jump into Elden Ring blind may not even be aware of the incredible story cooking in the background. In typical FromSoftware fashion, the story of this game is present mostly in item descriptions and the enigmatic side quests players can pursue.
There's no shame in following a guide for these quests and figuring out the best way to make progress. Not only does this help players uncover more of Elden Ring's lore, but it also unlocks other endings for players who want to see all possible conclusions for this game.
4 Disco Elysium
Players Make Progress in Side Quests and Uncover More of What This World Has to Offer
Disco Elysium
- Released
- October 15, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- ZA/UM
- Publisher(s)
- ZA/UM
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Stadia
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
For a game primarily about a murder investigation in a small district in Revachol, the worldbuilding of Disco Elysium is in a class of its own. Players will love controlling a drunk, amnesiac detective who serves as a proxy for the player to slowly learn about the world, its history, and its politics.
All of this is further explored in the game's riveting side quests, giving players access to more options that can be used in some of the more tense moments in this title. It helps ensure that players will have a great time uncovering the world's backstory and learning more about the detective they control, highlighting Disco Elysium's excellent writing that shines in every aspect of this masterful story-driven CRPG.
3 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Some Side Quests Shape the World and Dictate Its Future After the Wild Hunt Is Defeated
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt showed the AAA landscape how impactful good side quest writing could be for the overall experience. It may be odd to take on several odd jobs and requests while trying to find Ciri, but the excellent writing and long-lasting consequences ensure that players will have a great time with The Witcher 3's game's best side quests.
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Players can help the Bloody Baron find his wife, decide the future of Skellige's succession, and uncover a serial killer in Novigrad. These are just a few of the many ways players can have a major impact in the world of The Witcher 3 if they choose not to ignore this game's incredible side quests.
2 Fallout: New Vegas
The Amazing Writing Is Present in Both the Main and Side Quests
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
- October 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
Given the incredible role-playing present in Fallout: New Vegas, it's easy to see why players will love everything this title brings to the table in terms of its side quests. Players will learn more about the factions of this game while helping their companions attain some closure if the Courier decides to go out of their way to help them.
In Arcade's case, helping him out leads to players uncovering the remnants of the Enclave, who can assist the Courier during the Battle of Hoover Dam. All of the side quests that players complete receive some form of closure in the ending, with the narrator describing how the Courier shaped the fates of individuals, towns, and the city of New Vegas itself.
1 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Players Can Seek Out Hidden Locations and Complete Optional Side Quests to Uncover the Story
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Wii U, Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Technically speaking, everything aside from reaching Hyrule Castle is completely optional after players leave the Great Plateau. However, players should ideally explore the world as much as they can to become stronger and uncover cutscenes that reveal the events leading up to Link's 100-year slumber.
From secret locations to defeating the Blights and pulling out the Master Sword, the major quests in the game add more context to the game's story. It's a great way to make exploration as smooth and engaging as possible while ensuring that people who want to enjoy more of this narrative can do so at their own pace.
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