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[rubik's dude]

Stuff like sidequests, minigames, etc, that don't feel like a chore and are fun to do.

Personally, BG3 was a really good one for this. All of the side content was incredibly fun and rewarding. MGSV was another good one. It had its share of issues, but the gameplay was just so good that I actually wanted to do the side stuff.

Conversely, I love the Yakuza series and how the side content is always varied, but I could never imagine doing all of the side content in even a single one of those games.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

Chrono Trigger
Trails Series
Star Ocean Series

 

[darrylgorn]

Witcher 3 and BG3 are the only games that really compelled me to step outside the main narrative.

 

[Bulletbrain]

Conversely, I love the Yakuza series and how the side content is always varied, but I could never imagine doing all of the side content in even a single one of those games.

Personally I feel Yakuza games have the perfect approach to side content. Some real bangers in there (cabaret club, colosium, Kart racing, RC racing to name just a few) but you are never forced into them, apart from rare occasions. It's there if you want to dabble, or to complete/master. And best of all, the overall charm and tone of the series carry forward into the side content perfectly. Really feel like a gaming buffet, a high quality buffet at that. You pick and choose what to eat, and how much to eat.

 

[Antwix]

I remember Red Dead Redemption 1 and 2 having some good stuff. Honestly don't remember a lot of it except being actually upset they didn't include Liars Dice in RDR2

 

[Danjin44]

I personally really like side content in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (I know most people here dont), one mini game in particular that surprised me was that piano rhythm game.

When I first play the demo I thought there is no way I was going interact with this one because it was difficult and I'm not exactly good at rhythm games.

But in the full game ooooooh boy for some reason I got super addicted to it, I would spend good chunk of hours trying to get that A rank and I never got tired of it.

 

[Robb]

Zelda games in general.

 

[CityHunter1981]

When I think about good side quests, which are at least on the same level as the main campaign, Witcher 3 and God of War (2) come to mind.

 

[TheAtomicPile]

I personally really like side content in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (I know most people here dont), one mini game in particular that surprised me was that piano rhythm game.

When I first play the demo I thought there is no way I was going interact with this one because it was difficult and I'm not exactly good at rhythm games.

But in the full game ooooooh boy for some reason I got super addicted to it, I would spend good chunk of hours trying to get that A rank and I never got tired of it.

Yeah I thought Rebirth did a great job with side missions. Lots of variety and some of them were pretty good mini games. Probably not quite up there with the gold standard of side missions like KOTOR, but still pretty good stuff.

FFXVI on the other hand...

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Kerotan]

God of war and Ragnarok.

 

[Paasei]

Fallout
Deus Ex
Witcher

 

[Larxia]

I was also going to mention BG3.

If you like the style, I'd say Bethesda games (Elder Scrolls / Fallout) have a fair share of interesting side content. In Fallout 4 the side content is actually better than the very mediocre main story.

Red Dead Redemption 2 had really good side content that happened in a very immersive, organic way. You would usually stumble upon something while exploring, and the event would play right away, instead of being a task added to a journal to complete later like many other games. This was very enjoyable and felt less overwhelming than how most games handle side quests.

Kingdom Hearts 2 and 3 have really cool end game / post game content, with tons of crazy boss fights. Especially KH3 with the ReMind DLC (although I guess DLC is another thing). There is a bit of grind to reach that point though.

I can't think of many more just like that, but there must be some.
It's really rare for side content to be super interesting, in modern games it usually always feels like tedious work / tasks, instead of fun.

I think BG3 and RDR2 are really the ones that did this the best, rewarding exploring with always unique new situations, instead of just seeing "side content" templates being copied and pasted everywhere.

 

[RyRy93]

Replaying TW3 and coming up to a decade after release not many games can compete with it in terms of interesting side content

 

[Raven117]

Witcher 3 and Bg3. They are so good they feel like they are the main story. Good side stories provide better context and feed into the main story.

 

[TexMex]

Completely addicted to that wheels mini game in Sea of Stars

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

Completely addicted to that wheels mini game in Sea of Stars

Wish there was more Wheels Mini Game Content

 

[Soodanim]

If you like the style, I'd say Bethesda games (Elder Scrolls / Fallout) have a fair share of interesting side content. In Fallout 4 the side content is actually better than the very mediocre main story.

I agree.

I've always been under the impression that Fallout, and to a lesser extent TES, have a main story so that you can finish it and fulfil the tradition of a game. But the rest of the content is where you're likely going to spend the majority of your time for sure. The story's more like a fallback.

It applies less to Skyrim though, as certain shouts are locked behind the main quest.

 

[Larxia]

I agree.

I've always been under the impression that Fallout, and to a lesser extent TES, have a main story so that you can finish it and fulfil the tradition of a game. But the rest of the content is where you're likely going to spend the majority of your time for sure. The story's more like a fallback.

It applies less to Skyrim though, as certain shouts are locked behind the main quest.

Yeah, in these games you will just play without thinking about what's main or side content. You will do side content without realizing it's side content, it's just part of the world and it doesn't matter what's main or not.

 

[theStartupSound]

I liked the strangers and freaks missions in GTA V.

 

[Bloobs]

Mass Effect 2

 

[Ceadeus]

Mortal Kombat on PS2

 

[Madserb2023]

God of War Ragnarok has as an entire region as side content that is better than the main game.

 

[Mister Wolf]

 

[IAmRei]

Ursula long quest is not like side content timewise tho...

Anyway, thanks to your profile picture, i want to watch conan again

 

[The Cockatrice]

Cyberpunk 2077 has some amazing sidequests, even better than Witcher 3 which was already at peak.

 

[IAmRei]

- Xenoblades 2, blade sidequest to be precise, lot of fun world building, does looks like anime filler tho, still fun
- old final fantasy 7-9, lot of missable things, very fun IMO
- dragons dogma 1 and 2, i dont think i will need to explain
- 7th dragoon 2020, the side story is solid filler, still quite good and fun to be played with and not looks like a chore
- megaman legends 1-2
- any zelda is full of it btw
- BoF4, dang, there are lot of it.

Mostly are rpg btw

 

[Roberts]

I don't remember the specifics but some of the Wasteland 3 side content was legendary. I don't think I would have liked Yakuza games as much if not for their wacky side quests. Faction quests (at least 3 of them) in Starfield were more memorable than the main quest. Gives me a lot of hope for the DLC

 

[Guilty_AI]

I'd say side content was the main strenght in Cyberpunk 2077. Crosscode also was really fun to just explore and take side-quests, you always stumbled upon interesting stuff.

Alternatively there's Kenshi, and entire RPG that technically only has side-content.

 

[Lunarorbit]

I was also going to mention BG3.

If you like the style, I'd say Bethesda games (Elder Scrolls / Fallout) have a fair share of interesting side content. In Fallout 4 the side content is actually better than the very mediocre main story.

Red Dead Redemption 2 had really good side content that happened in a very immersive, organic way. You would usually stumble upon something while exploring, and the event would play right away, instead of being a task added to a journal to complete later like many other games. This was very enjoyable and felt less overwhelming than how most games handle side quests.

Kingdom Hearts 2 and 3 have really cool end game / post game content, with tons of crazy boss fights. Especially KH3 with the ReMind DLC (although I guess DLC is another thing). There is a bit of grind to reach that point though.

I can't think of many more just like that, but there must be some.
It's really rare for side content to be super interesting, in modern games it usually always feels like tedious work / tasks, instead of fun.

I think BG3 and RDR2 are really the ones that did this the best, rewarding exploring with always unique new situations, instead of just seeing "side content" templates being copied and pasted everywhere.

I've started Skyrim 4 times and I've never beaten it. But if you don't become a werewolf/vampire assassin with ebony armor and archery at 100 are you even playing skyrim?

 

[tomato shrub]

Zelda games in general.

Majora's Mask stands heads and shoulders above the rest for this. I'm still butthurt about the 3DS version making sidecontent much more handholdey and Ubi-esque though.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Aren’t Zelda games full of fetch quests for side content??

Why are we getting those here?

 

[GymWolf]

The yakuza games usually have meaty side content, from minigames to chained sidemissions.

Start with yakuza 0.

 

[Mownoc]

Witcher 3 is a great example of side content done right. Interesting fleshed out side content with good stories.

BOTW is an example of it done wrong: bRiNg Me TwEnTy RuShRoOms

 

[Hudo]

Remember when the first Animal Crossing had NES games in it?