20 Side Quests That Are Better Than The Main Storyline

The best stories and most lasting impressions in some games aren’t found in the main plot, but in optional side quests. These hidden adventures often deliver rich world-building, compelling characters, and unique gameplay that players remember and discuss long after finishing the game.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

In the side quest ‘Carnal Sins,’ Geralt investigates a series of murders in Novigrad, working with a medical examiner and following several false leads. How you gather evidence and which suspects you question first will affect the outcome – determining who lives or dies and what you discover about the killer. You’ll explore murder scenes, use your Witcher senses to follow trails, and question people connected to Crippled Kate’s and the Kingfisher. Completing the quest earns you special items for crafting and connects to characters you’ve already encountered in the city.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

A Night to Remember begins with a drinking game at a tavern and quickly escalates into a massive search across the land to clean up a mess you’ve made. Along the way, you’ll explore temples, meet a goat herder, and encounter a heartbroken giantess as you try to recall what happened. The quest culminates in an audience with a Daedric Prince, who rewards you with the Sanguine Rose staff. It’s a great way to see many of the game’s cities and faction headquarters that players often overlook when focusing solely on the main storyline.

Fallout: New Vegas

In Come Fly With Me, you’ll travel to the REPCONN Test Site to assist (or hinder!) a team of ghouls as they prepare rockets for launch. You can collect components, fix the guidance systems, or even tamper with the fuel, leading to various results. Whether you prefer sneaking around, talking your way through situations, or using your scientific knowledge, there are multiple ways to navigate the facility. The outcome of the mission, including your reputation and the rewards you receive, will depend on the choices you make.

Fallout 4

In the Goodneighbor area, you can become the Silver Shroud, a vigilante who operates using a radio persona and costume. This questline involves tracking down gang leaders, making tough decisions about what they deserve, and defining how committed you are to the Shroud’s character. Completing it earns you a powerful, fully upgradable armor set and a unique silenced weapon. Your actions as the Silver Shroud will also change how some people react to you throughout the rest of the game.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

In the “From the Ground Up” quest, you’re responsible for building the town of Tarrey Town, starting with absolutely nothing. This means collecting resources like wood and finding skilled workers from all over Hyrule. As you bring in supplies, the town will gradually develop, with new shops opening and merchants offering better prices. Completing the quest culminates in a town-wide celebration and provides lasting benefits throughout the game.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

The Anju and Kafei quest takes place over all three days of the game and needs precise timing. You’ll be delivering messages, following thieves, and arranging meetings throughout Clock Town, all while the moon threatens to fall. If you succeed, you’ll witness a heartwarming reunion and receive a valuable mask that offers extra defense. This quest is a great way to learn how to manage your time and understand how the game’s schedule works.

Mass Effect 2

The “Eye for an Eye” mission sends Garrus back to the Citadel to deal with a past issue from his time with C Sec. Depending on your team’s strengths, you can resolve the situation through talking, threatening, or a stealthy operation. Completing the mission improves Garrus’s fighting skills, gets him a new outfit, and can even affect a significant moment in the next game if you make the right choices.

Cyberpunk 2077

In the Dream On quest, you investigate a break-in at the luxurious penthouse of a prominent couple in Night City. Your investigation involves finding and analyzing hidden devices, pursuing a mysterious van, and discovering technology that can alter memories. This leads you to an encrypted data shard and a critical decision: do you report what you’ve found? Your choice impacts future events, unlocking new messages and encounters as the story unfolds.

Elden Ring

Ranni’s questline is a lengthy, optional adventure starting at Caria Manor and continuing through underground areas. It involves finding a special blade, exploring the cities of Nokron and Nokstella, and defeating unique bosses connected to her goals. Finishing this quest unlocks a unique ending to the game, plus rewards like powerful spirit ashes and equipment. As you progress, several characters will move to different places, changing what they say and sell.

Bloodborne

Once you reach Central Yharnam, you can start helping Eileen the Crow with a series of tasks that continue as you explore other areas. You’ll work with her to eliminate specific enemies, battle skilled hunters, and defend her from a surprise attack. Completing her storyline rewards you with the Crow Hunter Badge and her unique armor. However, the story’s ending will vary depending on how quickly you respond to her requests and which bosses you defeat first.

Ghost of Tsushima

In The Six Blades of Kojiro, a new story in Ghost of Tsushima, Jin travels across the island to challenge and defeat six master swordsmen. You’ll follow leads from a musician, battle each opponent in beautiful arenas, and learn a new sword technique from each victory. Winning the final duel, which takes place in a cave, unlocks powerful rewards and a special trophy. Plus, completing the tale changes the way people in the villages talk about Jin and his legend.

Red Dead Redemption 2

The Veteran questline starts near O’Creagh’s Run when Arthur encounters Hamish, a former soldier. Throughout the quest, you’ll go on several hunting trips, discover a new fishing spot, and revisit the area for more adventures. Completing the questline rewards you with a special horse and a one-of-a-kind item. It also adds illustrated entries and notes to Arthur’s journal.

The Outer Worlds

Okay, so in “The Doom That Came to Roseway,” I’m basically sent to this abandoned research facility to find lost data. What’s cool is I don’t just grab it and go. I can sell the info to a shady dealer, give it back to the company, or even destroy it to get on the good side of other groups. How I do things – like what skills I use – actually changes how easily I can avoid fights, how much money I get, and even what my companions think of me! And the biggest thing? My choices about what I do with the data totally changes the fate of everyone living in Roseway. There are multiple endings depending on how I play it.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

In Whodunit, you’re at a dinner party in a mansion and your goal is to secretly eliminate the guests. You can gather information by listening in on conversations, poison their food, or trick others into becoming the prime suspect to earn extra gold. The game keeps track of how you solve the mystery with special journal entries and rewards. Completing this quest progresses the Dark Brotherhood storyline and opens up new assignments.

Dragon Age: Inquisition

I just finished playing ‘Faded for Her,’ and it was awesome! It sends your Inquisition team back into the Fade with a mage we’ve met before. We had to collect stuff for a ritual, protect a village from spirits, and then make this really tough call about what to do with one particular spirit. It actually impacted how much my companions liked me, and I even unlocked a new upgrade! It’s cool because your choice carries over – I noticed it in later War Table missions and even in conversations with my team. Definitely worth checking out!

Divinity: Original Sin 2

The adventure in The Burning Pig starts on the beach at Fort Joy, where you’ll encounter characters afflicted by a curse who are pleading for assistance. As you explore, you’ll discover secret shrines and find ways to extinguish dangerous necrofire. You’ll also learn about a trial left behind by a forgotten god. How things unfold depends on your ability to persuade others and which altar you choose to restore. Successfully completing these tasks earns you a special ring and opens up a new route for solving the island’s challenges.

Horizon Forbidden West

In the quest ‘The Second Verse,’ Aloy needs to collect machine parts to restore the health of Plainsong’s land gods. You’ll hunt down specific machines, gather the necessary components from them, and then bring everything back to participate in a special ceremony. Completing the quest not only unlocks new songs for the settlement but also improves the goods and services offered by local merchants. Plus, your companions will share new information and have additional conversations at camp.

Starfield

In the Deep Cover mission, you go undercover with the Crimson Fleet, a group of space pirates. You’ll sneak onto one of their stations, plant fake information, and report to different contacts who are rivals. Your decisions will impact the story – you can choose to disrupt the pirates’ operations or help them succeed, which will affect future missions and rewards. Completing the mission line gives you access to hidden safehouses, extra credits, and unique gear.

Yakuza 0

In the Maharaja substory, Kiryu teams up with a pop star to film a music video. You’ll navigate fast-paced action sequences, safeguard the movie set, and mediate a conflict with a quirky director. Completing this substory rewards you with money, useful items, and new options at discos. Plus, it unlocks a special friendship that improves a minigame as you progress through the game.

NieR: Automata

In Emil’s Memories, the adventure starts when you spot a mysterious masked merchant traveling through the ruins. Following him takes you to secret shops where you’ll search for lunar tear flowers and ultimately uncover a hidden underground area. This quest reveals important details about the game’s story and culminates in a challenging boss fight. Successfully completing the quest rewards you with rare materials and powerful weapons, which can unlock alternative endings.

Tell us about any amazing side quests you’ve found, and let everyone know which ones were the most unexpected or surprising!

2025-11-21 01:16