Games that have a subplot that outshine its main plot

[prwxv3]

I just re-played Uncharted 3 again recently and it just re-confirmed my view that the subplot about Drake's past, problems, and how he confronts them is what Uncharted 3's story is really about. The lost city plot is just there for the set pieces and to move the subplot.


Are there other games that do this? I would like to play them if I have not already.

 

[Yaboosh]

Oblivion with the Dark Brotherhood quest.

 

[ThusZarathustra]

Mass Effect 2 by default, since there is no real main plot to speak of, and Mordin and Legion are the best written characters in the game.

 

[The Lamonster]

Oblivion with the Dark Brotherhood quest.

pack it up, folks

 

[hardcastlemccormick]

Almost every Dragon Quest game.

 

[AdvanS13]

fork-lifting in shenmue........i kid.

 

[Noisepurge]

i've been more intrigued by some Fallout 3 sidequests more than the father hunting mainquest. Especially that one with the vault where everyone went crazy.

 

[Shadow2222]

Final Fantasy VI. Don't get me wrong, the main story is excellent, but I loved learning the individual stories behind the characters. It really made them stand out from other characters in RPGs.

 

[Suairyu]

Bianca and Cheren's own personal search for their 'purpose' and goals in life was a rather unexpected and fairly well-done subplot in Pokémon Black and White. I mean, it was barebones stuff, but coming from a kids game - especially Pokémon - it was a really pleasant surprise and a signifier of good things to come in the story department of future Pokémon games.

Mass Effect 2 by default, since there is no real main plot to speak of, and Mordin and Legion are the best written characters in the game.

But ultimately a lot of the main story segments in Shenmue are subplots. They are obstacles in the way to Ryo getting on the path of hunting down Lan Di, distractions to his goal. A lot of Ryo's work in the harbour district was him stirring up trouble with the local gangs because he was trying to get close to Lan Di. Same could be said for almost everything in Shenmue II, minus the final disc.

 

[Moaradin]

Mass Effect 2 would be obvious, but the game was meant to focus on the subplots, so I'm not sure if it counts.

 

[Meccanical]

Laguna, Kiros, and Ward's shenanigans in FF8.

 

[Aeana]

I feel this way about most western RPGs. I tend to play them for the subquests.

Almost every Dragon Quest game.

That is my personal draw to them.

 

[TheJollyCorner]

'outshine' is a strong word for this example, but Nojima's FF stories have a habit of having subplots as interesting, if not more-so, than the main plot.

Examples:

FFVIII: Laguna/Kiros/Ward adventures vs. Squall and Co.
FFX: Braska/Auron/Jecht vs. Yuna and Co.

absolutely loved both of those subplots and they are the first thing that popped in my head when I read the OP, although, again, I wouldn't use a word as strong as outshine to describe the comparisons.

 

[djtiesto]

Nearly every western RPG ever. Most recent example is The Witcher 2, the sidequests were pretty interesting but the main storyline was a political clusterfuck that made no sense half the time.

Also, Lost Odyssey and its Thousand Years of Dreams stories.

 

[prwxv3]

i've been more intrigued by some Fallout 3 sidequests more than the father hunting mainquest. Especially that one with the vault where everyone went crazy.

Those were the best. I loved finding out how every vault went bad.

 

[cultureculture]

Lost Odyssey's short stories put the main story to shame.

Oblivion with the Dark Brotherhood quest.

I'd have said Shivering Isles, but maybe that's more like a whole campaign than a subplot.

 

[themadcowtipper]

Alot of the sidequests in fallout 3, especially the ones dealing with the different faults.

 

[The Lamp]

Yeah it doesn't revolve around it, but the sidequests are basically the meat of the game's plot.

 

[Ramblin]

fork-lifting in shenmue........i kid.

I took a vacation from fork-lift driving to play this game. I'm not kidding.

 

[Camilos]

Lost Odyssey and its Thousand Years of Dreams stories.

This to the power of 45.

 

[Jomjom]

I feel this way about most western RPGs. I tend to play them for the subquests.

I feel this way too. Maybe it is the way western RPGs are designed, but they rarely have a main storyline. I mean look at Skyrim, the best selling WRPG, pretty much has no main storyline.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

FFXIII.

The lore of both worlds, the creators behind them and their motives is a lot more interesting than the main cast and their journey. Real big shame it wasn't the main focus.

Its still not perfect, but I appreciate the thought that has been put in to it by Nojima.

 

[afternoon delight]

Anything in Fallout 3, fer sure. The main plot is beyond terrible and its structure is an unfathomably bad mess.

Edit: Cowtipper beating me to my own observation. I didn't even mention the Vaults!

 

[AAK]

Arch Angel and Shadow Broker in ME2. Amazingly well done.

 

[Suairyu]

That is my personal draw to them.

The "every town is its own story" is a fantastic aspect of Dragon Quest, yes, but I do wish they also had a stronger main driving force as well. There were moments of brilliance in VIII, but once you finished a town's quest and set out for the new one, there was a giant lull as your story motivation for continuing suddenly took a nose-dive.

 

[prwxv3]

I forgot about the great personal stories of almost every party member in Final Fantasy 9

 

[TheExodu5]

Lost Odyssey is the most obvious answer I can think of.

 

[Dabanton]

ME2, Fallout games,Skyrim

I have only ever completed 4 main missons in Oblivion i just did the side quests

 

[cilonen]

fork-lifting in shenmue........i kid.

One possible ending should have been that Ryo finds inner peace, lets his Dad's death go and settles down spending his days driving the forklift at the docks and his nights cruising local bars for sailors whilst Nozomi awkwardly stalks him.

 

[SxP]

Mass Effect 2 especially, I liked the main story in ME1 a lot more. Skyrim and Fallout 3/NV also come to mind.

 

[Hazaro]

Killzone. Great backstory, terrible game story ESPECIALLY with Rico.

 

[King of the Potato People]

Kingdom Hearts

Basically any of the Disney worlds' separate stories are better than the convoluted arcs. It helps that they're basically just homages to the films.

 

[ultron87]

In Xenosaga II the story of the URTVs is far more interesting than the anime gobbly-gook that is the main plot.

Not that I don't adore anime gobbly-gook.

 

[afternoon delight]

ME2, Fallout games,Skyrim

But New Vegas had a fuckawesome main story.... Left for dead story that evolves to your participation in a

Spoiler

takeover bid

of some kind? All sorts of cool. And so did the first two!

 

[Hot Coldman]

Not sure if this counts, but the case of the missing mic in The World Ends With You is my favourite moment of that game. Just awesome.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Mass Effect 2 by default, since there is no real main plot to speak of, and Mordin and Legion are the best written characters in the game.

I enjoyed the shadow broker DLC too.

 

[stuminus3]

I liked that sub-plot in Deus Ex about the nano-augmented agent who struggles with coming to terms with the fact that he feels nothing in saving the world and that his only pleasure comes from secretly murdering random female NPCs in the dark alleyways of Hong Kong with a dragon sword.

 

[see5harp]

I thought the Salarian stuff in ME2 was much cooler than the main quest of "get your super team together and do this shit" main story.

 

[prwxv3]

Killzone. Great backstory, terrible game story ESPECIALLY with Rico.

Killzone has great lore. I hope they do something creative with that lore someday or they make a FPS where you play as the helgast in story mode.

 

[remist]

Metroid Other M. Although it's not too hard to outshine other m's main plot.

 

[Phuturephunk]

I found the Thieves Guild quest line in Oblivion more satisfying than the main Q in that game. The heist was worth its weight in gold for a stealth based character build.

 

[themadcowtipper]

Anything in Fallout 3, fer sure. The main plot is beyond terrible and its structure is an unfathomably bad mess.

Edit: Cowtipper beating me to my own observation. I didn't even mention the Vaults!

I was beaten as well

 

[Ultimadrago]

Edit: Fallout 3 - The Superhuman Gambit is more entertaining than most of the main quest.

Fallout New Vegas - The Boomers were the best faction...that you couldn't officially "faction" with. Basic badass isolation. My journey getting there was by far more fun to me than the main story. Boone is also a good mention.

Oblivion with the Dark Brotherhood quest.

Yeah, this too.

Yeah it doesn't revolve around it, but the sidequests are basically the meat of the game's plot.

I love the Anju quest, and while it does outshine all of Majora's sidequests. (Hell, maybe all Zelda sidequests period)
I'm not sure I could raise it above the main Majora quest (the ending, to be exact). Great choice, though.

 

[Admiral Bone to Pick]

Lost Odyssey is the most obvious answer I can think of.

Definitely. The Thousand Years of Dreams segment were the highlights of the game. Kind of a shame that there weren't more moments like those in the main storyline.

 

[Zwei]

In Xenosaga II the story of the URTVs is far more interesting than the anime gobbly-gook that is the main plot.

Yeah, that's why I'm in the minority when I say that I like Episode II more than III. The URTV were just compelling characters to me, while the rest of them.. not so much.

 

[LuchaShaq]

Mass effect 2. Mainstory is fine but the loyalty missions and squad members are some of the best moments I've ever had in gaming.

 

[QuantumBro]

Fallout New Vegas - The Superhuman Gambit is more entertaining than the main quest.

Isn't this in 3?

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

I enjoyed the shadow broker DLC too.

that whole pack blew away the main game.

It had everything from interrogations

Spoiler

rogue spectre

, high speed chases to infiltrating an enemy flying fortress ending with a final showdown with the boss.

Like I said, it had everything.
(and PS3 owners got it free)


Hoping ME3s sides are set up just like it

 

[PokéKong]

Final Fantasy Tactics A2's whole "I Want To Forget" chain of missions with a touching story arch, resulting in you getting Frimelda the coolest unique unit in the game.

Ah... there was a main plot?

 

[prwxv3]

that whole pack blew away the main game.

It had everything from interrogations

Spoiler

rogue spectre

, high speed chases to infiltrating an enemy flying fortress ending with a final showdown with the boss.

Like I said, it had everything.
(and PS3 owners got it free)


Hoping ME3s sides are set up just like it

Are we supposed to get loyalty missions in ME3?