Yes—some open-world RPGs make their optional stories the reason to keep exploring. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077 have the strongest support for that reputation, while the other picks shine for specific strengths such as faction choices, reactive storytelling, or player-led discovery. “Better” is subjective, and none of these games makes every side quest stronger than its main campaign.
How to choose a side-quest-focused RPG
Look for more than a large map or a long list of tasks. Strong optional quests give characters and conflicts room to develop, offer meaningful choices, or reveal a side of the setting that the main plot cannot. The games below approach that in different ways: some deliver memorable authored stories, while others excel at letting players make their own path.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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The Outer Worlds Xbox One | $19.60 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Dungeon World | $25.24 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Monsters & Heroes: Solo RPG: Tabletop Open World And Dungeon Exploration | $24.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Monster Hunter: World - PlayStation 4 Standard Edition | $17.59 | Buy on Amazon |
1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3 is the clearest starting point if you want optional quests with the emotional weight and moral uncertainty of a main storyline. Its side quests can weave into the broader narrative, and difficult choices help give them consequences beyond simply completing an objective. A 2026 GamesRadar+ review highlights that combination, while its 2026 open-world RPG ranking also praises the game’s thought-provoking quests and difficult decisions.
That does not mean every optional contract or errand surpasses the central plot. The appeal is the range: smaller stories can feel personal and morally complicated, making detours worthwhile even when Geralt’s main journey remains the larger draw. GamesRadar’s 2026 review says the remastered edition includes Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine; confirm the edition and included content on the store for your platform before buying.
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#1 Best Overall
- The outer worlds is a new single-player first-person sci-fi rpg from obsidian entertainment and private division
- In the outer worlds, you awake from hibernation on a colonist ship that was lost in transit to halcyon, the furthest colony from earth located at the edge of the galaxy, only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy it. As you explore the furthest reaches of space and encounter various factions, all-vying for power, the character you decide to become will determine how this player-driven story unfolds. In the corporate equation for the colony, you are the unplanned variable
2. Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is a strong choice for varied, character-driven side content in a dense science-fiction city. Optional missions move between investigative stories, comic situations, and character-focused arcs, giving Night City more texture than the main plot alone. GameSpot’s review identifies side quests as one of the game’s strongest elements.
There is an important trade-off: GameSpot also found that optional discoveries and relationships did not seem to alter the urgency of V’s central quest. If you want side stories that deepen the world rather than reshape the main campaign, that may be a good fit. A 2025 PC Gamer list praises the quality and quantity of the side content but argues that the main quest is better plotted and paced than The Witcher 3’s—so excellent side missions do not require a weak main story.
Rank #2
- Combining high-action dungeon crawling with cutting-edge rules, Dungeon World is a roleplaying game of fantasy adventure.
- Dungeon World's rules are easy to learn and always drive the action forward in unexpected ways.
- Designed to be ready for you to hack, remix, and build new content, Dungeon World includes systems for changing everything to suit your group including creating new races, classes, and monsters.
- Dungeon World is an award-winning tabletop roleplaying game by Sage La Torra and Adam Koebel. Dungeon World has won an Ennie for Best Rules, a Golden Geek for Best RPG, and an Indie RPG Award.
3. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Choose Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 for grounded, reactive stories that make everyday life in its historical setting part of the adventure. A September 2026 ranking places it near the top for this kind of side quest, arguing that optional stories give players more room to inhabit the world. That is an editorial judgment, not a universal verdict, but it points to the game’s appeal: its detours are for players who want to spend time in the world, not just hurry through the central conflict.
This recommendation is specifically for the sequel. Some community suggestions mention the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance, but the two entries should not be treated as interchangeable when choosing a game.
4. Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas is the pick for players who want optional exploration and role-play tied to competing factions. Its central conflict gives choices political weight, and a GamesRadar+ ranking describes it as a quintessential open-world RPG built around faction conflict and player choice. The case for playing beyond the main route is the freedom to engage with the setting and its power struggles on your own terms—not a claim that every side quest outshines the campaign.
5. Oblivion Remastered
Try Oblivion Remastered if you want imaginative side-quest concepts and faction storylines in a fantasy RPG. A September 2026 ranking singles out those arcs as reasons to play beyond nostalgia. That recommendation reflects one publication’s assessment rather than broad critical consensus, so it is best read as a specific strength to look for, not a guarantee that the optional writing will appeal to everyone.
Rank #4
- Welcome to the new world: taking on the role of a Hunter, players are tasked with going on a research expedition to a newly discovered continent known only as “new world”.
- Living and breathing ecosystem: utilize the surrounding environment and wildlife to your advantage;Subgenre:Action role-playing game (RPG)
- Online drop-in multiplayer: when the battle is too daunting to take on single-handedly, hail up to three other hunters to assist during quests by sending up a sos flare to a worldwide server.
- Hunt to craft new Gear: defeat monsters and collect loot from fallen foes to craft equipment and weapons styled after the monsters that have been slain.
- SEAMLESS gameplay: players and monsters can move from One map area to another freely and without loading screens whilst gameplay also dynamically transitions between night and day.
6. Skyrim
Skyrim is less about proving that its side quests consistently beat its main story and more about the adventures players create around them. A 2025 PC Gamer list points to the sandbox’s freedom for personal characters and adventures, especially with mods. Pick it if you value wandering, self-directed play, and the ability to shape your own sense of what the journey is about.
7. Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 belongs on this list as a richly detailed open-world narrative with worthwhile side content—not as a proven case of side quests outperforming the main story. Players recommend it in discussions of this kind, and PC Gamer praises its detailed world and story. The available evidence supports it as a strong choice for immersion and narrative, but does not establish that its optional missions are better than its central campaign.
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- For morally complex, story-rich detours: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
- For varied character stories in a futuristic city: Cyberpunk 2077.
- For grounded, reactive optional stories: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
- For faction choices and role-play: Fallout: New Vegas.
- For imaginative fantasy faction arcs: Oblivion Remastered.
- For player-led adventures and mod-supported freedom: Skyrim.
- For a richly detailed open-world narrative with side content: Red Dead Redemption 2.
These picks reflect different kinds of strength, not a measured ranking. Community recommendations can help surface candidates, but individual discussion posts are anecdotal rather than representative of players as a whole.
Quick Recap
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