10 Video Game Side Quests So Good You Ignored The Story

Only one game in the entire industry is built around making sure there's as much time between you going to each story mission as humanly possible, and that's the Yakuza series.

We tried picking just one for this list, we really did. But at the end of the day, it's just not a true Yakuza experience until you've combed every last street corner in Kamurocho for every weirdo and eccentric and given them all of your time and attention.

Not only are the side quests leagues more interesting story-wise than the main plots of each game, but every single one of the dozens upon dozens of unique side quests each game offers you has their own gameplay gimmick just for those side quests. And each one of those gimmicks are so polished that they could stand on their own. The karaoke bars have one of the best rhythm game systems I've ever experienced, the fishing mini game is more compelling than it has any right to be, and the hostess clubs have the kind of management systems you'd only see in a game dedicated to simulating this kind of business.

And even the one-off side plots that you do once and then they're over have the one thing that puts this series at the top of this list: humanity. Every single side quests has unique characters and story, that chances are you won't experience in some playthroughs because you just won't find it. Which of course makes the quests where you teach a sex worker how to be a good dominatrix, or when you help a trans woman with her relationship problems, or even when you just partake in stock car races, all the sweeter of an experience.

Yakuza doesn't just have side quests, it has side STORIES. And that's the difference that landed it the top spot.