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 October 20, 2023 by Erik Petrovich: As the years go by and gaming becomes ever more technologically complex, the best open-world RPGs benefit from more elaborate and impactful storytelling. The best side quests in video games tend to be those that expand the game's lore, grant great items, and are as fun to interact with as the main quest. In 2022 and 2023 open-world RPG fans were treated to two absolutely enormous entries in the genre – Elden Ring, and Baldur's Gate 3. Though Elden Ring might not have a quest tracker, its side quests encourage players to go places they wouldn't normally explore, and open up new ways to progress the game. Baldur's Gate 3's side quests, on the other hand, are some of the most story-dense, impressively written, and elaborately reactive side quests in all of gaming. Like a true D&D campaign, side quests in Baldur's Gate 3 are often more fun than the main story.

15 Dishonored

Dishonored has significant and meaningful DLC

Dishonored took the gaming world by storm on its release for its incredibly fleshed-out, melancholic setting and its fusion of stealth and spellcasting gameplay. The main quest doesn't take too long to complete – maybe 10 hours tops – but there is an absolute litany of side quests and side content that will keep players engaged well beyond this point.

In every single mission, there are a number of hidden side missions that players have to uncover themselves. Most side quests expand the world of Dishonored and help to flesh out the dreary atmosphere. Some are tied to Runes or Bone Charms and can be found by using the Heart to guide the player. Each completed side mission is highlighted in the end-of-level screen, too.

14 The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion...

James McAvoy Was So Addicted to The Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion He Had to Destroy the Disc

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.

13 ...And The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Skyrim Epic Restoration

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.

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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.

12 Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

This game gets lost among the other entries in the series, but Order of the Phoenix is nothing to scoff at. The entirety of Hogwarts is there to explore, and side missions like unlocking every secret entrance, causing mayhem against Umbridge, and engaging in leisure activities are fit for the talking.

It gives the perfect Hogwarts experience, with games like wizards’ chess, Gobstones, among many others available if you don’t want to follow Harry's story all of the time. Other activities like dueling and vast exploration ensure there’s not a moment of boredom. In fact, players tend to overlook the story mode in favor of the side missions.

11 God Of War (2018)

b is for boy childrens book

Not only does this title heavily favor gameplay for the main character, but the side missions also leave out room for Atreus as well. While these quests aren’t there in abundance, the fun factor in them has to do with how Kratos and Atreus’ skills are honed.

It’s immensely satisfying to take down the challenging Valkyries, along with trials of each available realm that showcase their elemental prowess. Completing these missions lead toward completing the potential of the father and son duo, providing justification for all their efforts and completing the journey around the Nordic realms.

10 Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Assassin's Creed Odyssey

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.

9 Fallout: New Vegas

aba daba honeymoon fallout new vegas

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.

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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.

8 Far Cry 5

far cry 5 side mission

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.

7 Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead Redemption

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.

6 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Breath Of The Wild side quest hero's cache

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.

5 Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

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.

4 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt side quest Return To Crookback Bog

For good reason, The Witcher 3 is considered one of the longest games. Mainly, it comes down to the “Witcher Contracts,” side missions that have players hunt down monsters in extremely elaborate ways. More often than not, gamers tend to play this title for the side quests rather than the storyline.

It helps that these are vital for experience and gold in order to purchase neat items and weapons. Still, Wild Hunt excels in crafting immense side missions that feel like standalone games themselves. These are bolstered by the RPG theme, as numerous decisions extend the missions and the gaming experience.

3 Baldur's Gate 3

Baldurs Gate 3 Romance Options

Larian Studios revitalized the legendary CRPG series Baldur's Gate in 2023 with the long-awaited Baldur's Gate 3. But even after years of Early Access, in which only part of the first act was accessible, experienced players still run into brand-new characters, quests, locations, and more with every playthrough.

In fact, though the main quest of the game is very well written and worth pursuing, Baldur's Gate 3 side quests are some of the best open-world RPG quests ever made. The game is fully motion-captured, voice-acted, and reactive – decisions one thought minor can turn out to be quite game-changing. It's one of the few games that weaves story into its characters and questlines that react to players' choices. It's an impressive feat of true player influence over the way a story unfolds, and rife with side quests to keep players fully immersed for its more than 100-hour-long campaign.

2 Elden Ring

Elden Ring Gameplay

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.

1 Grand Theft Auto 5

grand theft auto 5 characters

The series as a whole is the first choice for those who just want to indulge in the fun stuff rather than actual missions. To this end, GTA 5 is the best game to get your hands on, with so much to do with all three protagonists.

Things like running Trevor’s business, which involves car-based or flying missions, span for hours. Others like Franklin’s repo jobs or Michael’s promotion of his movie offer more diverse side missions. Then there are recreational things like participating in triathlons, drag races, diving into the sea for salvage jobs, or simply encountering strangers and freaks. It doesn’t get any better than GTA 5 if you want hours’ worth of quality side missions.

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