What do you finish first? Main Story or Side quests?

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What do you finish first? Main Story or Side quests?


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Philippines
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I'm a side quest first kind of guy. Whenever they're available I will finish them first. For me it makes the game feel a bit longer. Though you could also say that if you finish the main story first then do all the side quests later. But it feels like I'm playing the leftovers if I do the side quests after finishing the main story. And also I might pick up some infos, secrets about the main story if I do the side quests first. So what kind of player are you?
 
Side quests ever since Mass Effect threw a curveball and didn't have a postgame at all, despite it being a seemingly easy game to work a postgame into IMO. Ever since then I've tried to do every (relevant) sidequest I can before continuing with the main story, and luckily that paid off in Mass Effect 2...
 
For me it depends on a lot of things, but the key thing is whether or not side quests will unbalance the story missions. Borderlands 2 is a great example of this; side quest completion was basically how you set the difficulty of the first two playthroughs; ignore them all and the game will be very difficult because you'll be like six levels short of the final story quest's recommended level, complete them all and you'll be something like up to five levels higher.

In MGS V, on the other hand, it makes absolutely no difference. I'm actually planning on starting another playthrough after I 100% the one I'm on to see if I can get to the end without voluntarily recruiting anyone, developing Mother Base or any gear at all, without recruiting buddies and so on.
 
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I tend to do them together. Side missions tend to be a welcome distraction from the main story not because the story is bad, but because I want it to continue for as long as possible.
 
I generally concentrate on the main quests then if I am still interested in a game, tackle the side quests. Sometimes I work on both at the same time but usually the main focus for me is the main storyline.
 
It depends on the game for me.

If it's a game like Halo, I'll do the Story because I actually enjoy the story being told. If it's a game like Call of Doody, I'll probably play the Multiplayer portion of the game only. If it's a game like MGS V: The Phantom Pain or the Mass Effect series in which, to get the true ending or full ending respectively, you have to complete both main story and side quests, I'll try to balance both.
 
I usually do story first then "side quests". Depends on the game. If side quests will make the story easier I usually do them. Or if I don't have to out of my way a lot to complete them.
 
It depends really. Some games like GTA I tend to do the story first and then the side missions. Others like AC Black Flag I have too much fun doing side stories so I do those first.
 
As a Pokemon Player ever since Gen I and II. I've always tried to beat the Main Story has fast as Possible so I can move on to the Post-Game. Though if a game comes without much of a Post-Game (like Pokemon Generation VI) I tend to treat the Side-quests like Post-game.

Post-game allows you to feel relieved on what the world has become because of your efforts and you can go out and explore and rethink to all the changes you have made or new areas to discover.
 
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It sometimes depends on the game. The main answer is the main story because they are required to complete the game. I feel pressure to clear the main story so I can enjoy and savor the side quests without feeling the need to complete the main story constantly. So my call is on the Main Story. That's why I enjoy things more in Grand Theft Auto games, the Saints Row series, and stuff like that.
 
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