10 Video Game Side Quests So Good You Ignored The Story
7. The Mad Hatter - Arkham City
This entry is here because it's about the most literal example of ignoring the main story to do a side quest on this list. The mission shows up immediately after one of the campaign's most intense chapters, so you have to consciously choose to leave yourself on a cliffhanger for an hour or two to go after this one.
To refresh your memory, Batman has been infected with the same mutagen that's currently tearing Joker's body apart, with everyone in Gotham getting a transfusion that night (i.e a LOT of people) following close behind if Batman doesn't help him.
At one point, Alfred seems to tell Bruce that they've developed a cure and sent it his way. But of course it turns out to be a trap by the Mad Hatter in order to control him. You then proceed to have a really fun slobber-knocker with Mad Hatter's goons before putting the whacko in his place.
It was a short mission, sure, but it was one where you had to ignore the story at its most intense in order to play, and most people did, so it definitely earns a spot.