Side Quests, Are they worth it?

[Limos]

I have found that every time I am just about to beat a game I become sidetracked by some stupid unattainable goal that takes up all my attention until I finally give up in disgust and either stop playing the game or start the file over.

This happened in Final Fantasy 7 with the Golden Chocobo.

It happened in Final Fantasy 10 with the Celestial Weapons.

I hope to god it isn't happening now in Okami with the Scattered Beads.


The Scattered Beads sidequest I am trying to finish right now is to find 100 beads hidden throughout every area of the game, some of them are given as the rewards for different minigames. Three require you to fight ten consecutive battles against all the normal enemies who have been doubled in strength from the three respective areas. I currently have 80 of the 100 beads. One of the beads can only be gotten by beating the game, and then restarting in a new file from the ending.

I just know that this follows my tendency to burn out on some stupid sidequest. But it always happens.



Discuss
-Stupid pointless sidequests
-Favorite sidequests
-Frustrating sidequests

 

[Shadow Tyrant]

In before Biggoron Sword.


I'll only do the sidequests if there's something in it for me, like money or experience. Or if it's like Assassin's Creed and you need to do all the sidequests to fill the DNA strand completely. And if I actually cared about getting 100% in GTA IV, I would do those, too, but screw those stupid pigeons.

 

[geldonyetich]

For me, asking of a side quest is worth it is sort of like asking if providing a side dish to a main course is worth it. My answer is, "How good of a side dish are we talking here?"

If it's a crappy, masochistic side quest that involves monotonous, thoroughly boring activities, then certainly not. Unless I've absolutely nothing better to do, I'm not going to bother with that - screw them for making me try.

If it's a great diversion that helps expand the palate satiation of the overall game by providing a welcome diversity of activities, then it certainly is. A good game designer puts together a simple but entertaining game, but an great game designer can put together an epic game without losing the appeal.

But, you know, you really shouldn't blame the game for your being such a rabid completionist. Knowing that all side quests are not neccessary designed to be good, you should be willing to let go and forget it when you feel it's dragging on too long.

[edit: Edited for further detail & clarity]

 

[Limos]

I mean the really big sidequests, usually involving 100% completion and your only reward is a different ending movie, or a medal.

 

[Limos]

Asking of a Side Quest is worth it is sort of like asking of providing a side dish to a main course is worth it. The answer, of course, is how good of a side dish are we talking here.

If it's a crappy, masochistic side quest that involves monotonous, thoroughly boring activities, then certainly not.

If it's a great diversion that helps expand the palate satiation of the overall game by providing a welcome diversity of activities, then it certainly is.

But, you know, you really shouldn't blame the game for your being such a rabid completionist.

What sucks is being a rabid completionist who is for all intents and purpose inept. Playing through on my own I managed to ind 54 of the 100 beads. The additional 26 beads I had to look up on gamefaqs. Which was depressing because half of them were in chests that I ran past while playing the game and never bothered to open.

Now i'm gonna boot up my Wii and try for some of the remaining 20.

 

[shufflemonkey16]

sidequests in JRPGs = random and annoying tasks such as unreasonably big fetch quests or scavenger hunts that contribute nothing to the plot and usually not very much experience or money or anything.

sidequests in WRPGs = (more often than not) intriguing additions to the game with adequate bonuses. Unfortunately in some games (Bioware's games, Fable) forsaking the side quests leads to being massively destroyed by enemies near the end.

sidequests in TES games = the whole freaking game.

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

I think Assassin's Creed wins the "worst sidequests" award.

 

[The Wooster]

Asking of a Side Quest is worth it is sort of like asking of providing a side dish to a main course is worth it. The answer, of course, is how good of a side dish are we talking here.

If it's a crappy, masochistic side quest that involves monotonous, thoroughly boring activities, then certainly not.

If it's a great diversion that helps expand the palate satiation of the overall game by providing a welcome diversity of activities, then it certainly is.

But, you know, you really shouldn't blame the game for your being such a rabid completionist.

What sucks is being a rabid completionist who is for all intents and purpose inept. Playing through on my own I managed to ind 54 of the 100 beads. The additional 26 beads I had to look up on gamefaqs. Which was depressing because half of them were in chests that I ran past while playing the game and never bothered to open.

Now i'm gonna boot up my Wii and try for some of the remaining 20.

Ninja gaiden sigma. You have to get all of the fucking stupid scarabs but some of them are well hidden, and then you found because you've moved past the room they're in the door has magically locked and you can't get them. Ever. Then you restart the fucking game to get that single god damn scarb. Then you find out the plasma sabre sucks anyway and the only enemy left to fight after you get it is the end boss who can pretty much only be killed with the dragon sword anyway.

This side quest essentially ruined the fucking game. I spent ages loitering in each area hunting down the stupid scarabs and making mutltiple saves so I didn't get bum fucked like I did the first time.

 

[Smiles]

I love doing menial repetative tasks, so I love them ...

 

[Khedive Rex]

I think Assassin's Creed wins the "worst sidequests" award.

Then you've never played Mass Effect. Since when is traveling to almost every unimportant planet in the entire galaxy looking for minerals in exchange for almost nothing considered a side quest?! And I was the perfectionist chump who actually went out and did it!

Honestly, great game; horrible side quests.

 

[Vrikk]

I never have liked side quests since I simply want to beat the story of the game. If I'm asked to hop around for three hours fighting the same ol' fights simply because I can get a slightly better weapon when I was already doing fine then no. BUT if the side quest is worthwhile and is not out of my way, COUPLED with the game not making it near impossible to start then sure I'll hitch for the ride.

I'm into a game for the story, and not the extra tidbits that the designers put in so they have more to write on the back of the box.

 

[Clownilingus]

Hate to break it to you but some of those beads in okami are next to impossible. poking holes in those damn block enemies is a broken gameplay element. It was impossible to do with the accuracy that a dualshock affords. Ha good luck with your wii-mote. I sugges you spend your time playing through the main quest on a new game. I bet the reward isn't worth it anyways. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[Shivari]

I'll say what everyone else will/has said, it depends on the quest. Some side quests I'll willingly go along with as long as they're at least somewhat fun or have a nice reward for doing it. If there's no reward except for saying "Congratulations on collecting useless little things scattered across the world" a la Assassin's Creed or Okami, then no I won't.

Some side quests I've really enjoyed though. Anyone with Tales of Symphonia collect all of the Devil's Arms for Abyssion so that you could fight him? That guy seriously took me about 30 minutes to beat, and it was an awesome fight. Your reward for defeating him was that the Devil's Arms became much stronger weapons (when you find them they're totally useless) but they still suck, especially because by the time I can actually beat Abyssion I'm past level 70. Apparently they get stronger with every kill you make with them but I never feel like grinding at that point in the game solely to make those weapons do anything. Considering by the time you're able to collect all of them you're maybe a few hours away from the end of the game, and you're strong enough to beat whatever you have to by then anyway.

Ranted longer than I thought I would on that...

 

[Limos]

Hate to break it to you but some of those beads in okami are next to impossible. poking holes in those damn block enemies is a broken gameplay element. It was impossible to do with the accuracy that a dualshock affords. Ha good luck with your wii-mote. I sugges you spend your time playing through the main quest on a new game. I bet the reward isn't worth it anyways. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Actually the Wiimote is much more accurate, I already got the bead from block head. Right now the only ones left are the three in Wawku shrine, two in Ezofuji, the third spider gate and a couple you get by talking to certain people once you beat Wep'keer. Which is the last area before the Ark of Yamato.

The reward is an accessory aptly named String of Beads, it gives you invicibility multiplies your damage times 8 and gives you unlimited ink.

 

[teknoarcanist]

I don't mind tedium if the reward is worth it.
But my god.
Kingdom Hearts.
The FUCKING dalmatians.
The bottles and time trials in the Sly Cooper games were a lot of fun though.

 

[Limos]

WOOOO!!!

YEAH!!

I JUST BEAT SPIDER GATE NUMBER THREE AND GOT THE FINAL STRAY BEAD!!! OMG YAAAAAAAAAAY!!!

It actully turns out that it gives attack power times 10, not 8. And it makes ink and solar energy limitless. Hooray. I finally completed a tedious sidequest!!

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

I think Assassin's Creed wins the "worst sidequests" award.

Then you've never played Mass Effect. Since when is traveling to almost every unimportant planet in the entire galaxy looking for minerals in exchange for almost nothing considered a side quest?! And I was the perfectionist chump who actually went out and did it!

Honestly, great game; horrible side quests.

Oh yeah, I guess I was a little nicer to Mass Effect since those mineral things were just "fillers and padding" and still had much more interesting side quests other than playing the little decryption minigame after driving the Mako for 5 hours. Even if they were in "copy & paste" areas.

 

[geldonyetich]

WOOOO!!!

YEAH!!

I JUST BEAT SPIDER GATE NUMBER THREE AND GOT THE FINAL STRAY BEAD!!! OMG YAAAAAAAAAAY!!!

It actully turns out that it gives attack power times 10, not 8. And it makes ink and solar energy limitless. Hooray. I finally completed a tedious sidequest!!

I find your conviction that you dislike tedious side quests... lacking.

 

[HeyZeus_Ezekiel_Jesus]

The only games I recently played that had side quest that weren't stupid were God of War II and SOCOM: Combined Assault.

 

[Limos]

WOOOO!!!

YEAH!!

I JUST BEAT SPIDER GATE NUMBER THREE AND GOT THE FINAL STRAY BEAD!!! OMG YAAAAAAAAAAY!!!

It actully turns out that it gives attack power times 10, not 8. And it makes ink and solar energy limitless. Hooray. I finally completed a tedious sidequest!!

I find your conviction that you dislike tedious side quests... lacking.

Oh, this sidequest was a seemingly neverending hell that has plagued me for weeks. I am mostly happy that is finally mercifully over. Sadly I have now done absolutely everything in the game and thus have no means of enjoying my new super item. There is nothing left to fight.