Best Games That Are Better When You Ignore The Main Quest, Ranked

Summary

Ignoring main quests in open-world games often leads to richer, more personal experiences.
The magic of open-world games lies in wandering off, exploring, and living in the margins.
In games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and The Witcher 3, side stories outshine the main quest.

In some video games, the abundance of stories, features, and diversions can make the main mission seem like a mere suggestion rather than the core focus. However, this isn’t necessarily a weakness; instead, it’s an aspect that adds depth to these games. This article isn’t about games with poor storylines; quite the contrary. It’s about those that become more intriguing, mysterious, or intimate when players choose to explore the peripheral aspects rather than constantly pursuing world-threatening crises.

These games offer experiences where straying from the path becomes the main adventure. Players might find themselves engrossed for hours in activities like hunting, thieving, discovering new places, or simply role-playing characters who deviate significantly from their initial scripts. In many instances, this is precisely what the game creators intended.

7. Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Who Needs Destiny When There Are Dice Rolls And Drunken Fistfights?

In “Kingdom Come: Deliverance”, you’re plunged into 15th-century Bohemia as Henry, a blacksmith’s son with little swordsmanship skill and even less heroic aspirations. Though the central plot eventually leads him to war, treachery, and political scheming, it’s the side activities that truly make this game unique. Roaming through grubby villages, playing cards in seedy taverns, learning to read, and botching potion-making all contribute to Henry’s struggle for survival rather than world salvation.

The game’s strong historical basis imbues even ordinary activities with significance. Tasks such as hunting for food to prevent starvation, getting reprimanded by a bailiff for theft, or attempting to persuade a tipsy monk to reveal monastery secrets contribute to a growing feeling of immersion. Players who disregard the main storyline are not punished with distraction but instead rewarded with depth. They encounter side quests where morality is ambiguous and consequences last, giving them opportunities to navigate through complex situations. Instead of portraying Henry as a chosen one, the game presents him more realistically as someone who’s trying to make sense of things one questionable haircut at a time.

6. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

When In Doubt, Follow The Guy Who Says “Stay Close To Me, Arisen”

In Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, the adventure commences with a dragon snatching your character’s heart, yet there’s no rush to retrieve it right away. What truly captivates about this world is the unusual autonomy it provides. You won’t find a quest marker guiding you to examine the crumbling remnants of Bluemoon Tower on the cliffs or to stumble upon a sleeping cyclops under a bridge near Cassardis. However, these unguided moments often make the most lasting memories.

What sets it apart is its sense of the unexpected. Venturing off the beaten path may lead to surprise attacks by harpies under cover of darkness, becoming entangled in quests that descend into turmoil, or solving intricate murder mysteries involving nobles and bribing guards. The Pawn system ensures that party members behave dynamically, with some giving advance warning of ambushes and others offering hints about hidden secrets. This game is a playground filled with its most memorable moments tucked away in side paths, and the more curious players become, the more indelible their experiences will be.

5. Red Dead Redemption 2

No One Tells Arthur Morgan Who To Be, Not Even The Script

In terms of narrative and graphics, Red Dead Redemption 2 stands out as it boasts one of the most film-like, engaging storylines among contemporary video games, while also showcasing an exceptionally detailed open world. Those who take their time to explore beyond the main quests uncover a distinct narrative woven into campfire conversations, train journeys, and peaceful scenes by the lake where fishing becomes more meaningful than the plot itself.

The honor system lends an extra layer of complexity. A player’s decisions outside the primary storyline shape the perception of Arthur. From stealing from trains, assisting strangers, settling debts, or merely spending an entire game day gathering herbs and journaling in Red Dead Redemption 2, you craft a unique version of Arthur. This game is not just about sidestepping the main narrative; it offers opportunities for introspection, immersion, and creating your own narrative before the official one unfolds.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

A Broken Sword Can Wait; There’s A Horse With Link’s Name On It

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Link isn’t forced to hurry into Hyrule Castle by a timer, which fundamentally alters the gameplay experience. Instead, once players leave the Great Plateau, they are presented with an expansive world that seems to challenge them not to explore and discover at their own pace. For instance, instead of immediately reforging the Master Sword, there’s a peculiar statue in a canyon, a dragon soaring through the sky, and a Korok hidden beneath a rock for some mysterious reason – all waiting to be discovered.

In Hyrule, it seems as if each peak and valley was crafted for moments of reverie. Each summit conceals a secret, every decaying shack whispers tales untold, and even the atmosphere responds to Link’s relentless determination to veer off course. Adventurers who wander off the typical path may chance upon hidden labyrinths, spectral reminiscences, or uncover the crumbling Temple of Time, weighed down by the burden of forgotten lore. What’s more, this exploration is not merely rewarding but liberating. It’s a unique open world where losing sight of the narrative feels like the goal itself.

3. Fallout: New Vegas

Every Choice Feels Final, So Why Not Delay The Big Ones?

In Fallout: New Vegas, things kick off with a headshot and an ambiguous pledge for vengeance. However, fans familiar with Obsidian’s style can anticipate that the true excitement sets in when players decide to disregard that vendetta. The Mojave Wasteland is a tangled network of factions, ideologies, and personal grudges. As time passes without aligning with any faction, more of this intricate web unfolds before the player’s eyes.

As a gamer, I’ve found some of the most captivating moments in Fallout: New Vegas aren’t tied to the Vegas Strip. Instead, they’re hidden within side quests that offer unique experiences like helping a renegade Brotherhood of Steel member conceal his identity or listening to a mad toaster plot global domination. The game mechanics also provide room for creative character builds: I’ve tried speech checks, explosive tactics, melee-only adventures, and even runs fueled by the Wild Wasteland perk, which transforms ordinary encounters into hilarious absurdist situations. While the main quest is engaging, taking a break from it opens up the Mojave as one of the richest RPG sandboxes ever crafted.

2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witch Hunts Can Wait When There’s Gwent To Be Played

In “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt,” players find themselves in a battle-torn continent, pursuing a missing girl amidst shadows of ancient spirits hanging over the land. However, it’s not the Wild Hunt that keeps this game at the forefront of discussions years later; instead, it’s the side quests. The troubled family of the Baron, the orphans cursed in Crookback Bog, the spooky island of Undvik – these narratives shape Geralt’s adventure more profoundly than any prophecy could ever do.

Beyond Gwent, a seemingly trivial card game, has morphed into an all-consuming pastime for players. They often set aside the primary mission to focus on crafting decks and vying for victories in tournaments instead. CD Projekt Red infused the game with such rich details, like contract monsters and romantic subplots, that progressing the main story can feel like bypassing a delicious dessert. The world entices exploration not just as a reward but as an essential aspect.

1. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Being The Chosen One Is Cool, But What About Becoming A Werewolf Librarian?

The Dragon Crisis may consume your attention, but it’s The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim that truly stands out when players step away from it. While the main storyline can be completed in less than ten hours, there’s no rush to do so. In fact, most players don’t engage with the Greybeards until they’ve already explored half of Skyrim’s caves, joined the Thieves Guild, or purchased a house in Whiterun that remains unfurnished.

In Skyrim, your identity can be as flexible as you want it to be. Fancy yourself a vampire assassin with a side hustle curating a museum of Daedric artifacts? You got it! Ever wondered about tying the knot with a Markarth warrior, dabbling in a Solstheim cult, and boxing a chicken all in one day? That’s just another ordinary day in Skyrim. Bethesda has ensured that there are plenty of diversions to keep you from focusing on saving the world right away. And the fact that dragons patiently wait in the mountains until you’re ready to deal with them only enhances the enchantment.

2025-07-06 01:07