In the vast, open worlds of modern RPGs, there’s a peculiar phenomenon that every gamer knows all too well. You boot up the game, fully intending to progress the main story, to save the world or defeat the big bad evil guy. But then, as you’re making your way to the next major plot point, you spot it: a glowing exclamation mark hovering over an NPC’s head, promising a new adventure off the beaten path.
Before you know it, you’re five hours deep into what was supposed to be a “quick side quest,” having completely forgotten about the impending doom you were meant to prevent. Congratulations, you’ve fallen victim to the irresistible allure of the side quest.
As a long-time gamer, LitRPG author, and game developer, I’ve spent countless hours not just playing these quests, but analyzing what makes them tick. Why do we find them so compelling? How do the best side quests elevate the entire gaming experience? And when does “optional” content become essential to the journey?
The Evolution of Side Quests
To appreciate where we are, we need to understand where we’ve been. Side quests have come a long way since the early days of RPGs.
In the beginning, side quests were simple affairs. Remember the original Legend of Zelda? “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.” Boom, side quest completed. As games grew more complex, so did their side content. The 16-bit era brought us more elaborate fetch quests and mini-games. But it wasn’t until the rise of sprawling 3D worlds that side quests truly came into their own.
Games like Baldur’s Gate and Planescape: Torment showed us that side quests could be vehicles for deep storytelling, not just diversions from the main plot. Fast forward to today, and we have games like The Witcher 3, where side quests are so intricate and impactful that they often overshadow the main storyline.
The Anatomy of a Memorable Side Quest
So what separates a forgettable fetch quest from a side adventure that players will be talking about for years to come? Let’s break it down:
- Narrative Depth: The best side quests tell stories that could stand on their own. They’re not just filler; they’re fully realized narratives that enrich the game world.
- Moral Complexity: Great side quests often present players with difficult choices that have real consequences. They force us to grapple with our own values and the complexities of the game world.
- Character Development: Whether it’s revealing new facets of established characters or introducing compelling new ones, top-tier side quests use the opportunity to deepen our connection to the game’s cast.
- World Building: A well-crafted side quest doesn’t just take place in the game world; it helps create it. It should reveal something new about the setting, its history, or its culture.
- Gameplay Variety: The best side quests often introduce new mechanics or challenges, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.
Let’s look at a prime example: the Bloody Baron questline from The Witcher 3. What starts as a simple missing persons case evolves into a haunting tale of abuse, addiction, and redemption. It checks all the boxes:
- Deep, standalone narrative? Check.
- Morally gray choices? In spades.
- Character development for both the Baron and Geralt? Absolutely.
- Insights into the war-torn world of Velen? Definitely.
- Unique gameplay elements like tracking a botchling? You bet.
It’s no wonder that many players consider this side quest one of the highlights of the entire game.
When Optional Becomes Essential
Here’s where things get interesting. In the best RPGs, the line between “main quest” and “side quest” starts to blur. Take the companion quests in Mass Effect 2, for example. Technically, you could consider them optional. The game doesn’t force you to dive into the backstories of your crew members. But ask any Mass Effect fan, and they’ll tell you these quests are anything but optional.
Why? Because they’re essential to the emotional core of the game. They transform your crew from a collection of sci-fi archetypes into living, breathing characters that you genuinely care about. By the time you reach the final mission, the fate of each companion carries real emotional weight precisely because you’ve been through those “optional” quests with them.
This is the holy grail of side quest design: content that feels so integral to the experience that players forget it’s optional at all. It’s a delicate balance, though. Make side quests too essential, and players might feel overwhelmed or railroaded. Make them too disconnected, and they risk feeling like pointless busywork.
The best RPGs manage this balance by:
- Tying side quest outcomes to the main story in subtle but meaningful ways
- Using side quests to unlock unique abilities or items that enhance the core gameplay
- Allowing side quests to influence the game’s ending or epilogue
- Using side content to foreshadow or provide context for main story events
The Developer’s Perspective
As a game developer, crafting compelling side quests is both a challenge and an opportunity. It’s a chance to explore aspects of your game world that don’t fit neatly into the main narrative. It’s also a way to cater to different player types – those who crave more action, more story, or more exploration.
The key is variety. A good RPG should have a mix of side quest types:
- Short, punchy quests for players looking for a quick diversion
- Longer, more involved storylines for those who want to dive deep
- Combat-focused quests for action enthusiasts
- Puzzle or exploration quests for those who enjoy a mental challenge
- Character-driven quests for the narrative-focused players
The goal is to create a buffet of content that allows players to engage with the parts of your game world that most appeal to them.
The Future of Side Quests
As we look to the future of RPGs, the potential for side quests is more exciting than ever. Advances in procedural generation and AI could lead to dynamically created side quests that react to a player’s individual journey through the game. Imagine a side quest that’s tailored not just to your character’s abilities, but to the choices you’ve made throughout the game, the NPCs you’ve befriended or antagonized, and the parts of the world you’ve explored or ignored.
We’re also seeing a trend towards more interconnected quest design. Games like Disco Elysium blur the line between main and side content to the point where the distinction becomes almost meaningless. Every conversation, every investigation feels essential to the overall tapestry of the story.
The Main Quest is Just the Beginning
In the end, what makes an RPG truly “grand” isn’t the scale of its main quest or the size of its map. It’s the depth of its world, the richness of its characters, and the variety of experiences it offers. Side quests are the vehicle through which much of this depth is delivered.
As a gamer, I encourage you to stray from the beaten path, to take the time to engage with those optional quests. You never know when you’ll stumble upon a story that resonates with you more than the main plot ever could.
And as a developer or storyteller, remember: your “side” content might just be the main attraction for many of your players. Craft it with care, with passion, and with the knowledge that in the best games, every quest has the potential to be someone’s favorite part of the journey.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I just spotted an interesting-looking NPC in the corner of this tavern, and I have a feeling they might have a quest for me…