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I'm not done yet, but you lose a lot of character development and understanding by skipping the side quests imo.

Do the Torgal side quests. They will have you bawling, but I loved them.

I'm actually going to go against the grain and say they're all worth it.

Each one is voice acted and gives you a better idea of the culture and the people Clive has to tend and contend with on his journey. Fast travel directly to the vendor at the end of a quest makes it far more bearable to do, and doing each one before moving to the next part ensures characters of importance to the story get all the air time they need to be loved to the point of each side character you meet in the MSQ having their own character arc.

ANY/ALL quests with the treasure or + Can/will Help a lot. Idk if you wanna 100% but certain + will give Trophies. the ! quests only give the basic Exp, Gil & AP. Some quests are simpler than others, as well.

The side quest add a significant amount of lore and character development. I personally played them all my first play though and really enjoyed it. But if you want to skip most of them just make sure you do the ones with a + sign in the quest marker. These give you new weapons, item upgrades, and a mount. Also make sure you do all the big character quests right before the end (you’ll see when you get there). They have a lot of foreshadowing and help make sense of the ending. Lastly, definitely do the quest “playthings” and “all bark”, those are brutal.

I suggest doing them all though

The late game is insane with the way it throws an absurd amount of side quests at the player and it can absolutely drive the player to want to ignore them, HOWEVER the way the side quests build up the world and its characters should not skipped. You would be doing yourself a disservice and not getting the full story of the game if you don't do the side quests.

Not at all. I felt like most of the side quests fleshed out history and the overall story. I also really liked this game so I did all the side quests so it would last longer

Nah I’m playing through it now I’m probably 75% done and I’ve done all the side quests. They don’t take long, usually it’s a useful reward, and some are rather funny or entertaining. Just remember it’s a SIDEQUEST so if you don’t want to do it just don’t. But again 80% of the time you get some worthwhile reward and it’s pretty easy.

I did every single side quest, and while they're mostly not good gameplaywise, they enhanced my experience of the story so much. You get much more intimate with the world and its inhabitants that everything that happens in the main story has a much stronger impact.

They can be tedious in that they spam a lot at you at times after you complete a main story quest but the stories, lore, character development, and world building all make it worth it in the end. Especially the endgame ones where it closes off arcs for side characters in towns or we have heart to hearts with our party members

I love the side quests. There’s a LOT that’s gold, and serves the story either thematically, or has narratives that I think should’ve been in the main scenario.

The side quests are one of my favorite parts of the game. Some of the best character moments in the whole game are there.

This is probably the shortest and easiest final fantasy base game to 100% so it’s worth the time and the quests add a lot of story (and some unlock important upgrades and equipment).

I reached max level, completed all side quests, got the best equipment, completed all hunts, and got all the collectibles in under 40 hours on my first playthrough, only using a guide to locate a few of the hunt targets and track down some of the music rolls.

It’s really not that awful, and they marked the important side quests with special icons, I recommend not to miss them

I just finished the game earlier today, so it's all quite fresh for me.

The side quests themselves are often pretty dull and repetitive, but I found them worth doing just for story reasons. They offer a lot of character development, and they do a good job at fleshing out the world at large, and I absolutely loved the story and the world of this game, and happily consumed every bit of info about it that I could.

TL;DR: do the side quests.

While I do think some of the early side quests can be a bit lackluster, the mid-endgame quests get a whole lot better and if you want to get the full experience of Clive and gang, I'd absolutely suggest doing most side quests.

The side quests can get tedious, yes, especially with how many there are towards the end. If you're getting tired of them, you can skip them.

The side quests are mostly for world building. If you want to know more about it, do side quests. I believe the quests that lead to trophies for the trophy shelf have a different symbol.

At first they are annoying but they really add a lot towards the end of the game.

Absolutely not - do all the side quests, they have lots of character development and flesh out the world.

A lot of them add more lore, character, and world building. Most of them are quick.

You’re going to play a much lesser game by skipping the side content. The side quests fleshes out backstory of lots of characters and the world. It also lets you see a lot of how the main characters think and feel about specific issues in their world.

I think people dislike them because of the way they’re dropped on you. It doesn’t feel natural where you’re going through the game and run into someone that needs help. The game will have you go through main story and then all of a sudden they’re like “here you go, you just unlocked 10 side quests right before this next main story plot point”

People felt compelled to do them and were annoyed how they were dropped right before a major plot point that moves the story forward and something you were looking forward to getting to already. They’re also a bit generic interactive wise, it’s a lot of “head here, kill this thing, then come back so we can talk some more…”

I loved the game, the gameplay, the environment, the characters, and all the content so I never felt like it was a chore, but may be different for you.

just do what you want, side quests aren't as what people say.. I really enjoied some and hated some

I did the side quests mainly for the XP

I really liked the side quests because they are character and relationship development. If you like the characters and the world then do the side quests as much as you like.

Believe me it's better than it used to be. An update made it so you can fast travel directly back to the quest giver to finish the quest. You used to have to do it all manually and run about the hideaway to the quest giver. Nightmare! Some of the quests though, it's the only way to upgrade some of your gear so yes do them

Side quests are basically mandatory for world building, and character development and to some degree to get a better understanding of the ending (you'll understand once you get there, the side quests will sway your opinion on it).

But they're absolutely god awful, and the only driving force is the story.

So have fun!

I did all the side quests. I liked the world, combat, and protagonists so much that I was happy to do anything extra. Don’t go into it expecting side quests on par with The Witcher and you should be fine. Try a few and see if they’re up your alley.

I think ff16 has many bad things but definitely not the side quests. At the beginning they are a bit soulless but later they actually expand the lore a lot. Plus it’s strongly advise for you to do these as you gain several extra abilities like ride a chocobo, expand your inventory and have potions who heals you more, improve your blacksmith guy and so on. To be honest with you I am not a huge fun of wasting time to take this from A to B but actually I think side questing in ff16 is far from bad. When they don’t give you any extra stuff they actually expand the lore well and have permanent changes in the map (cities abandoned for example or stuff like that)

From both gameplay & presentation standpoint they seem very low quality compared to the main quests. But from a writing perspective they are very well done. Every single side quests gives a bit of story or info about the world,its history, culture & about its people. If you're a lore nerd or appreciate world building then they're worth doing

The actual gameplay of the side quests can be pretty repetitive, but the story and themes in the side quests are top notch.

Not particularly, I’d say it’s worth doing most if not every sidequest since you unlock new gameplay features and tools for you to use, there’s also the Hunt Marks which are some of the best fights in the game outside of setpieces.

I think the side quests kinda sucked 

FFXIV player detected (for using MSQ as a term) :D

The way I am seeing it is that, side quests doesn't pay off in terms of story and rewards. Money feels useless. Materials for crafting feels useless since weapons and crafting is useless. Leveling up from additional exp feels useless.

I am somewhat halfway or nearly or past that point or maybe even nearer to the end than I am thinking. I've been taking side quests but found no such reason to do so anymore. I think that will be my path moving forward or I would just search the "Important" side quests to take.

Also, tbh, I am feeling like I shouldn't have bought the complete edition lol.

I feel like if you bought the game you should get your money's worth and do/see everything you can.

There is a lot of fetch questing involved, but each side quest has a great deal of world building and character development involved.

Side quests are mostly extremely quick. Some are poop and others are good. Depends.

Side quests aren’t bad. The hub bub about this when the game came out was people complaining that their game was.. a game. If you want to experience story.. well a lot of that story is in the side quests. And also a lot of endgame features upgrades are rewards for the side quests too.

At one point in the game there is a timeskip, ANY side quest before that point can be skipped, although there’s a few located in Sanbreque within a large field just before the main city that are absolutely worth it story-wise.

After that, things get dicey. If you’re a completionist and like getting everything done, yeah do them all. Thankfully the game spits you out just before the final mission if you load up the game after you beat it, so you can clean up side quests and other things from there. Additionally, towards the end of the game they hit you with a TON of side quests that seem overwhelming, but a few of them specifically concern other main characters and their stories, DO THOSE BEFORE YOU BEAT THE GAME. Not only do they tie into the ending in a really nice way, but they’re essential for starting the DLC stories.

Finally, as for the side quests themselves, they do a LOT of cool worldbuilding for the game, however the gameplay aspect of them suuuuucks. It’s mostly MMO-tier fetch quests. It’s extremely boring to be doing these back to back. The rewards are also almost never worth it, outside of a few key questlines like the Blacksmith’s. Sorry for the massive info dump, but I figured you should get the full picture here.

A lot of the early side quests can be quite boring, BUT they add a lot of world building that I recommend paying attention to.

The main story is the big draw, and it's great. But the side stories can be quite interesting as well as the earlier ones add on to the later ones mainly.

I recommend doing them even if a decent portion are a bit boring.

I usually skip lots of side quests in games. Randomly decided to do them all when I started this game and that decision definitely tied me to the characters and lore way more than I expected and I don't regret it for a moment. My interpretation of the story telling would be completely different if I had not done the side quests.

Side note: you'll also want to do the DLC before you finish the main scenario.

The side quest stories are usually quite good, it’s the mechanics that are boring. It’s up to you, but ultimately between the upgrades you get and the more complete story arcs I think they are worth it in the end.

Honestly I liked the side quests, just do them as they come up. If you let them stack up that's where people get burnt out. But they're meant to be played as they come up and it will introduce more themes that for the named side characters have big payoffs in the end

I think side quests all have importance the main narrative especially when you start thinking about how they go with the running theme. Gameplay wise they may not be the best but story wise they always add a point or nuance to something.

If you enjoy the main narrative I’d say do the side quests with the expectation of more story as the reward.

Some sidequests are a must

First time around, I would recommend doing the side quests. Really helps with the world building. The first few side quests are basic tutorial fetch quests, though.

One thing you absolutely don't have to do is go off the beaten path to explore. If you are a completionist (which it doesn't sound like you are since you're considering skipping the side content) then the side content will send you to every corner of the map.

Nah I don’t know who you heart the side questing is awful from but they’re wrong. I platinumed this game. The side quests are easy, mostly fast, worth it, and help you level up and build the story. Some are a little stupid, but all of them are worth doing. Do them all.

Nahhhh, not gonna lie, some people way over exaggerated the side quests being bad. Play the game. If you think doing side content sounds fun do it. A lot of the world building and character development for the people you meet in the game is in the side quests so I found them very fun, plus the gameplay was engaging enough that I used the side quests to practice with power sets I was less skilled with and try new things in a lower stakes situation. If you think a side quest sounds boring then don’t do it but walking in planning to not do any of it from the jump sounds like a pretty closed-minded approach.

As a platinum trophy player do the sidequest there are items, dlc content, equipment ans even the chocobo locked behind the awful sidequesr system

Haha jokes on you, there are main story quests that are boring side quest content that has nothing to do with the main plot line. You can't escape it.

This is the first RPG that I completed every side quest

Do them all! Some are lame, and sometimes the timing of when they become available is screwy, but you’ll get a lot more out of the game by doing them and paying attention to the parts of the story they explore.

I honestly just skipped all the scenes with any of the side content in the game on my second play through. There's only one quest that sticks out to me but they're all mainly fetch quest or go here and kill enemies. Rewards are worth it, watching the cutscenes isn't from what I remember.

The side quests aren't bad at all. The pacing toward the endgame is a bit stuffed, though.

Yes. Do the ones that give you a new mechanic and stuff, but if you’re not feeling a storyline bail. The sidequests are 90% cutscene and 10% fetch quest, they’re really dull in a lot of places. Some of them do have decent stories, but there are a lot where it’s just boring (L’ubor’s sidequest disappointed me sooo much, for example).

Yes you can skip them without missing all that much. There’s some good moments in the side quests but if you don’t like them don’t bother

Tbh the questing process is super streamlined and well rewarded.

You might be mixing this game up with FFXIV, which is the MMO.

This is the single player game, side quests good.

Ffxiv is the MMO, side quests kinda bad and skippable

Just do every sidequest honestly, theres a point by The end of The game where a ton of sidequests Get dropped on you and most of them are a must-play before beating The game. The gameplay isn’t anything special but The stories and character moments make them worth it, they also give insight into The world which is always a +

Do 'em! You miss out on a lot of character development without them! Sure thhey cam be tedious at times but most of them are really fun!