8 Video Game Side-Quests That Were Better Than The Main Story

A Quest Inside A Quest With A Side Of Quest!

Elden Ring Ranni
From Software

While maybe not so true of real life, often venturing off the beaten path in video games can net you some utterly brilliant rewards and unique experiences.

In fact, I can definitely confirm that this doesn't happen in real life as all I got for exploring the lesser-known routes of Newcastle was a half-eaten Greggs sausage roll and a lot of strange looks.

Still, sometimes video game side missions can be so utterly engaging that they actually demand more of your attention than the main narrative threads of a title, and you'll spend hours simply lost in a world of your own making, simply ignoring the evil glare of the lands Big Bad, which over time simply becomes a lamenting gaze begging you to come back and finish off the main quest.

Well, tough luck matey as I've got murders to solve, some to commit, and a tonne of tiny cars to race so you perfect your doomsday device as I'm taking the day off!

8. The Vampire - Red Dead Redemption 2

Elden Ring Ranni
Rockstar

When you've got a narrative that is so utterly drenched in praise from both critical outlets and fans around the world, it's definitely a steep claim to mark one side mission as being "better" than the entirety of Red Dead Redemption 2's main arc, however, if we're being brutally honest there are more than a few moments where the sheer size of the games main pull does feel like a bit too much of a good thing.

It's why so many players utterly lose themselves in pretty much everything else the game has to offer, gambling, hunting, and of course engaging in short and supremely satisfying side missions that pop that little dopamine hit that the main narrative takes a long time to deliver on. And of all of the strange and wonderful bite-sized moments, the Vampire Of St. Denis sure sticks out as a freakin' fangtastic tale that sinks its teeth right in as soon as it begins.

St. Denis is a sprawling locale and there are many shady secrets hidden within its walls, and should you take the time to walk its streets and listen to the locals, you'll hear tales of a spate of murders as well as a supremely shady figure. Finding five clues around the city and piecing together the clues will lead you to a one-on-one confrontation with the murderer who turns out to be a freaking vampire!

Well, technically it's just a bald dude with a love of the old neck wine, and you can bash him to death in one hit, but should this knock-off Nosferatu get too close he'll one-hit kill Arthur leading to a rather humiliating, and surprising end to your mystery solving ways. Either way, it's a completely unforgettable moment in a game absolute full of them.

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Jules Gill hasn't written a bio just yet, but if they had... it would appear here.