Bethesda is one of the biggest players in the video game industry, and has wowed fans with their amazing games time and time again. The company has become such a behemoth that it has acquired several developers who have mostly thrived under its wing.
As one would expect, most of the side content in Bethesda games is what makes or breaks the experience, as most of these games are vast RPGs. Players love the idea of losing themselves in a grand adventure as they come across several optional quests and other side activities to keep them engaged. Among Bethesda's titles, these games do the best job at exactly that.
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8 Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
The Side Quests Are Fun, If A Bit Distracting
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
- Released
- October 27, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- FPS
The breakneck action of the modern Wolfenstein games has helped them stand out as some of the best FPS experiences fans can subject themselves to. After the runaway success of The New Order, MachineGames decided to expand the scope of The New Colossus to add more side content.
This leads to several missions where players revisit levels and take on tough combat challenges. It may be repetitive, but the breakneck action of The New Colossus ensures that fans won't feel too fatigued as they complete one of the many Ubercommander Missions in the game to get more Enigma Codes.
7 Starfield
Great Side Content, Even If Some People Are Tired Of The Formula
Starfield
- Released
- September 6, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
First-party Bethesda games are known for their side content, and Starfield is no exception. Fans who love Bethesda games will be lost in the expansive universe of Starfield, even if some aspects of the gameplay can feel rather dated.
As long as players don't mind the reliance on procedurally generated content, they'll have a great time accomplishing the myriad of side quests in the game. The fate of the universe may be at stake, but that shouldn't stop the player from helping out every Tom, Dick, and Harry who has a request for them to fulfill.
6 Fallout 4
Some Repetitive Content Takes Away From The Carefully Curated Side Quests
Fallout 4
- Released
- November 10, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
Fallout 4 divided fan reception when it came out, but most fans have grown to appreciate the amazing world and fun combat of this title. As one would expect, the Sole Survivor will come across many side adventures in their travels.
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The search for their son can wait when a settlement is in jeopardy for the umpteenth time. As grating as these recycled quests may be, Fallout 4 makes up for it with its more memorable side content that is clearly handcrafted and gives players a reason to explore this riveting world.
5 The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
Excellent Side Content, Even If It May Be Weaker Than Other Elder Scrolls Games
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
- Released
- April 22, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action, RPG, Open-World, Adventure
Oblivion's remaster being shadow-dropped was a huge treat for fans of the game. All of a sudden, players had a perfectly valid excuse to revisit the beautiful world of Cyrodiil and get lost in the adventures that the future Hero of Kvatch can enjoy.
Players can conquer the arena, which causes an adoring fan to hound them. They can also find themselves stuck in a Painted World with powerful trolls who can end their run in a flash. Either way, the side content never ceases to be memorable, and is a huge part of what makes Oblivion such a riveting title.
4 Indiana Jones And The Great Circle
The Side Content Strengthens The Main Narrative
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Released
- December 9, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Most games distance their side content from the main story to prevent any issues from arising in the narrative. This is why the approach taken by Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to link its main and side missions should be lauded and pushed as the industry standard.
Players who want to meaningfully affect the main story and get more context about the events at play should make it a point to complete the side content of this title. It does a great job of making Indy's adventure feel more immersive, as every action the player takes helps the game strengthen its core narrative.
3 The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
Every Corner Hides An Optional Yet Engaging Adventure
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
- Released
- May 1, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
The lack of voice acting turned out to be something of a boon for Morrowind's side content. Players could engage in meaningful dialogue exchanges that weren't restricted by any means, leading to some memorable quests that helped the Nerevarine become stronger.
Something as simple as exploring the world could be wildly engaging, since players could see wizards falling from the sky and distraught wives trying to locate their husbands after a monster attack drove them apart. It's a huge part of Morrowind's charm, allowing players to appreciate its scope despite the many years that have passed since this title's release.
2 Fallout 3
Numerous Engaging Quests That Fans Will Get Lost In
Fallout 3
- Released
- October 28, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Fallout 3 is one of the best Bethesda games of all time, and it helped this once-beloved CRPG franchise break into the gaming mainstream once again. The Capitol Wasteland is a beautiful region to explore that is rife with interesting NPCs, secrets, and quests to discover.
Players can interact with a person turning into a tree or blow up an entire town, showing just how incredible the side content in this game is. It's a shame that the main story feels so flat in comparison, but this is the trade-off that most fans expect in a Bethesda game.
1 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
The Side Content Is A Huge Part Of What Made The Game Memorable
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
To this day, there's something about the wealth of side adventures in Skyrim that will leave fans smiling. After all, not many open-world RPGs are gutsy enough to let players initiate a drinking binge that causes them to wake up in a different corner of the world.
The quest chain that helps the Civil War progress in Skyrim is another example of the game's amazing side content. The recurring Radiant quests are the only blight on Skyrim's side content, and can be easily ignored for the meticulous, hand-crafted, and engaging content that is present in each and every corner of this beautiful open world.
- Date Founded
- June 28, 1986
- Headquarters
- Rockville, Maryland, United States
- CEO
- Todd Howard
- Parent Company
- Microsoft
- Subsidiaries
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Known For
- The Elder Scrolls, Dishonored, DOOM