Summary
AsAmazon’s newFalloutstreaming showsays, “The Wasteland has its own Golden Rule. Thou shalt get sidetracked by bullsh*t every goddamn time.” Gamers know this all too well, and RPGs are filled with distractions to lure players away from the main quest. Sometimes, though, it’s about the journey and not the destination, and luckily, those distractions can often be the best parts of the game.
Many of the most iconicRPGsoriginated onPlayStation 3, which might be why it’s one of the best-selling consoles of all time. These games feature great writing, unique gameplay, and dense worldbuilding, and these strengths often shine best in the hidden gems found off the main story’s beaten track.
Dark Souls 2may not be regarded as the best in the Soulsborne series, but it has its fair share of great side quests. For a combat-heavy game, it’s ironic that Royal Sorcerer Navlaan’s quest doesn’t necessitate murder.
The dark sorcerer can be found in Aldia’s Keep and, though deceitful himself, there is an opportunity to outwit Navlaan. Since Navlaan does not know if players have killed the targets he gives them, they can trick the quest-giver by bringing him tokens of their demise, thus creating a unique and interesting outcome.
Inspector extraordinaire, Hildibrand Helidor Maximillian Manderville offers some lighthearted comic relief compared toFinal Fantasy XIV’sserious main story.
Hildibrand’s quest line begins with ‘The Rise and Fall of Gentlemen’, in which players must save Hildibrand from his apparent demise and ‘Zombibrand’ form. After this, Hildibrand spawnsa series of quests of his own, featuring the agent of inquiry and his entourage, bursting with humorous pop-culture references, parodies, and Easter eggs, allowing the player to unlock a series of emotes, items and, most interestingly, the Manderville weapons.
Despite its vast size, it’s easy to miss the abandoned mansion nestled in the Emerald Graves. However, players that do stumble across this area can explore one of the most unsettling and yet visually unique dungeons inDragon Age: Inquisiton.
After collecting eerie codex pages and fighting through relentless undead, the player will finally uncover the mystery of the mansion. This is worthwhile in and of itself, but it’s truly the atmosphere created by this side quest, unparalleled in other RPGs, that makes Chateau d’Onterre stand out.
“A veritable Oasis of green in that depressing sea of brown” beckons the radio when exploring the ruins ofFallout 3. Amazingly, this impossible hope can be found. The cause, however, is anything but hopeful. Harold returns from previous games, but now it is impossible to tell where Harold ends and Bob, the tree growing out of him, begins.
Despite growing the surrounding forest with a cult of worshipers, Harold begs for an end to his life. The player is left with the choice of fulfilling Harold’s wish and dooming this patch of wasteland, or offering nature a chance to find a way.
Exposing corruption in an ever-augmenting and unjust world is fundamental totheDeus Exseries. Playing as ex-cop Adam Jenson puts players on the frontline, especially in the quest ‘Shanghai Justice’.
When a domestic dispute turns violent, the Hong family uses their wealth to hide their son’s crime, turning the murder into a suicide in the official report. Thankfully, Adam’s trusted pilot, Malik, was a friend of the victim and doubts this story, inviting players to pull on the thread. Through tense dialogue choices, they record Tong Si’s confession to echo through Hengsha’s streets for all to hear.
The Elder Scrolls’fourth main game isfilled with side quests, but none quite match being sucked into a painting and coming face to face with a painted troll.
Upon learning of the painter Rythe Lythandas’s disappearance, the player is prompted to search his study. After interacting with his unfinished canvas, the player finds themselves in a world of pastel hues and brushstrokes. This unique palette separates this area visually from the rest of the game, and the challenge of escaping an artist’s vision makes for a truly memorable side quest.
FromToy StorytoAlice in Wonderland, fiction has its fair share of mad tea parties, but none have quite as much blood and fire as Tiny Tina’s. Crumpets notwithstanding, the true purpose of this little get-together inBorderlands 2is to get revenge on Flesh-Stick, the Psycho who trafficked Tina’s parents to their death.
The quest involves luring the guest of honor to the gathering and then defending the symposium from waves of gatecrashing enemies. Through a tense firefight and raucous comic writing, this is a defining quest of theBorderlandsseries.
Ironically,one ofSkyrim’smost memorable questsinvolves a heavy dose of alcohol-induced amnesia. ‘A Night To Remember’ has players retracing the Dragonborn’s footsteps to resolve all manner of drunken mishaps that were handily forgotten from the night before.
From tracking down a missing goat to repairing a desecrated shrine, players go from one disgruntled NPC to the next trying to work out just what happened. A homage toThe Hangoveris perhaps the last thing players expect from anElder Scrollsgame, but this quest remains one of its best.
Just south of the power struggle for New Vegas is a struggle for literal power that serves as a microcosm of the game’s wider story. The NCR’s futile attempt to revive the HELIOS One power plant gives the player the choice of who deserves the plant’s electricity, or if it should even be accessible again. The correct choice, however, is, of course: Personal Orbital Laser.
Choosing this power for a faction or for the player effectively foreshadows their choice at the Second Battle of Hoover Dam. Add a hilarious bumbling “theoretical” scientist, and players have a quest that exemplifies everything great aboutthis iconic series.
BioWare has always been known for itsgreat characters and writing. ForMass Effectseries fans, Tali is often a favorite squadmate, specifically because of the well-written loyalty mission she offers.
Embarking on a mission to prove her innocence by recapturing a ship, this side quest adds new depths to Tali’s characterization. The player is also given the chance to speak for Tali at her trial in a scene that is both moving and poignant, regardless of whether the player goes down the Paragon or Renegade dialogue trees.
