Open-World Games With The Best Side Quests, Ranked

It’s not really an open-world game if it doesn’t have a whole lot to do in said open-world aside from the main storyline. Games falling under this category have become commonplace, with titles like The Witcher, Assassin’s Creed, Grand Theft Auto, and others pushing their popularity further.

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While a multitude of side missions can be found in basically any game these days, it’s not the same as having the best side quests. There are certain games that, perhaps not as popular or vast, have better side missions for one to engage in. Since gamers prefer different genres, this list includes titles of varying styles.

Updated November 7, 2024, by Hamza Haq: Most games, open-world or otherwise, put very little emphasis on getting the side quest portion of the story right. Developers often focus all of their efforts on fleshing out the main story, the exploration, the progression system, and other factors. Side quests are mostly at the very bottom of the priority list for developers when, in reality, they are what gamers spend the most time doing, especially in open-world games where player freedom is at the core of the gameplay loop. The games that do get it right allow the player to remain immersed in the world setting, living and breathing the fiction as if they were a part of it. Open-world games with great side quests don't automatically become classics, but the ones that do always have a great questing experience.

13 The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion

Uncover The Dark Secrets Of Cyrodiil

The Elder Scrolls series is one of the most famous RPG series of all time, and Oblivion stands out for its incredibly unique and engaging side quests. The main quest of Oblivion is a bit dull, though extremely well voice acted. Side quests get much, much wackier though.

In what other game are players able to travel into a work of art to save a painter, be the murderer in a murder mystery mansion, or help a spirit find his rest? Oblivion's side quests are considered by many fans to be the best in the series, though there could be more to take on.

12 Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Myths, Monsters, And Mysteries

Opening areas like Atlantis and the snowy mountains should keep players engaged when they play this Ubisoft game. In addition, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s side missions reward gamers with boosted capabilities and a thorough understanding of Greek history and the protagonist’s backstory.

One can also unlock abilities like underwater breathing, fights against mythological creatures, and complete synchronization. The RPG elements allow for multiple scenarios, meaning players can mold gameplay according to their preferences. The satisfaction comes from fully completing the plot lines of every character the player meets and uncovering every location in the Greek world.

11 Fallout: New Vegas

Real Vegas Thrills

While New Vegas’s number of side missions might pale in comparison to later entries in the series, the levels here have more quality behind them. Thanks to the sandbox-style gameplay, the player can truly see the post-apocalyptic world in these side quests.

Stuff like gambling, playing games like blackjack and roulette, allow for diverse kinds of entertainment. Crafting and modding options, diversity in the reputation setting, and similar gameplay techniques are all amplified in side missions, all of which aren’t truly available in the main campaign. To this end, completing these missions is the way to actually experience Fallout: New Vegas.

10 Far Cry 5

Liberate, Conquer, And Battle For Freedom

First-person shooter games tend to be ignored when the topic of side missions is raised. And yet, Far Cry 5 can boast of having some of the most fun ones. The main draw here is how these quests take on a life of their own, branching into separate storylines.

These have to do with liberating the area from the rule of the antagonists. Due to this style, there’s a certain sense of accomplishment that comes with conquering environments. The gameplay itself comes across as distinct here, as the focus isn’t solely on shooting mechanics. Instead, RPG elements give way for a mixture of exploration and combat.

9 Red Dead Redemption

Roam The Wild West

Much like other games on this list, Red Dead Redemption feels like a different entity when indulging in side missions. That’s because the strangers met out in the wilderness offer more depth in their challenges. There’s also the difference that can be felt in gameplay if playing as John Marston or his son.

The reason why this first part’s side missions are more fun than the sequel’s is due to the challenge involved. These quests don’t care about your skill level and are equally difficult whether you’ve started your playthrough or ended the campaign.

8 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Uncover Hyrule’s Mysteries

When a game is built with the intention to explore, there’s no question about side missions coming into play. Breath of the Wild is also among the games with the most side quests to be found. In fact, the game encourages players to roam freely and do their own thing.

The non-linear style is such that players can simultaneously be on the main campaign and engage in side missions. The latter appears in the form of puzzle-solving for the most part, which provides a unique platform for gamers to fully immerse themselves in this world.

7 Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

Pirates, Ships, and Sunken Treasure

With the entire Caribbean to explore, it’s easy to see why this game delivers in side missions. These are abundant in quantity, but also deliver in execution. Stuff like hunting whales and sharks, fighting death ships, and discovering crypts of the Isu civilization are incredible to play through.

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Even minor missions like collecting Animus fragments are extremely fun, as it employs the open-world feature. Black Flag manages to make the present-day sequences engaging as well, as uncovering Templar plans by playing mini-games adds in a level of quality that most games don’t bother with in their side missions.

6 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Epic Quests Beyond The Main Story

Skyrim has proved time and time again to be Bethesda's darling child. Todd Howard even said that they only keep releasing new ports and versions of the game because fans keep buying it. The main quest is a bit anticlimactic, to be certain, but side quests are a different story.

Every Daedric Prince has a side quest, towns and cities are bustling with people wanting the Dragonborn's help, and that's not even mentioning the number of guilds and organizations players can join like the Companions or the College of Winterhold. For a game as well-known as Skyrim, it still surprises even the most hardcore fans.

5 Elden Ring

Journey Into The Unknown

Elden Ring doesn't have side quests in the traditional way that an open-world RPG might. In fact, there's no journal, no quest log, and no way to track what exactly the player has to do at any given time. From the start of Elden Ring players are told to seek the eponymous Elden Ring so that they might become Elden Lord.

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But despite its absolutely enormous world, there's actually only a few bosses and "quests" that players need to complete to finish the game. But the side quests, usually tied to characters players stumble across out in the Lands Between, often yield amazing rewards like items and alternative paths forward. These side quests bring players to areas they might never have gone, like the Volcano Manor's Tarnished Hunting missions, and serve as some of the only ways that players can figure out what is going on in the lore of Elden Ring.

4 Red Dead Redemption 2

Explore The Untamed Frontier

One of the biggest strengths of Red Dead Redemption 2's story is that there isn't really a sense of urgency to see Arthur's story to its end. Story missions typically revolve around a major heist or event that Dutch Van Der Linde's gang needs to prepare for, and Arthur is given the freedom to just enjoy the countryside in the meantime. As a benefit, engaging in the game's many side quests doesn't feel out of character, allowing players to really enjoy what the world has to offer.

Side activities in RDR2 come in many flavors, ranging from hunting for rare animals to bounty hunting for the local authorities, to planning the perfect bank heists, and everything in between. Every quest feels like it's a natural part of the world and not something added to the game just to pad the runtime, a boast very few games can make.