Top 10 LONGEST Video Game Quests

#10: The Heist

“Cyberpunk 2077” (2020)

The "The Heist" quest in Cyberpunk 2077, part of the conclusion to Act 1, spans over an hour and serves as a key introduction to V’s story. I for one, as well as many of ya’ll for two, truly struggled to get through this introduction when the game first released, as a lot of the bugs and glitches turned that one hour into ten. V, alongside partner Jackie Welles and netrunner T-Bug, infiltrates Konpeki Plaza to steal the relic. While the heist is successful, V is framed for murder and loses both T-Bug and Jackie in one of the saddest deaths in the whole game - GIVE US A JACKIE DLC! This quest acts as a transition to Act 2, with no option to pause and explore the world until you begin Johnny Silverhand's prologue questline. The cutscenes are lengthy and unskippable, making this a significant, but slow-paced, introduction to the Cyberpunk universe. It’s a tough grind for those players who decided to give this game another crack after a few years of rectifying.

#9: Things Aren’t Gonna Lick Themselves

“Goat Simulator” (2014)

Though the name of the quest may seem odd, the context makes it clearer when you realize you're playing as a goat with a special hotkey dedicated to licking objects and NPCs. It's truly like they looked at my life and stole the plot for a game. To begin this quest, you must select the Goat MMO mode. After gearing up and choosing your class, the objective is straightforward: lick things 10,000 times. Rather than focusing on mechanics or skill, this absurd quest is all about persistence, patience, and determination. 10,000 licks, just let that settle in for a moment, because that’s a lot of licks, and also, I never thought I’d say the sentence “That’s a lot of licks.”

#8: Epsilon Missions

“GTAV” (2013)

We’re gonna be a little bit cheaty with this one by including a quest chain, and the reason for this is because you guys won’t SHUT UP ABOUT THIS ONE. The Epsilon quests are a set of optional quests in GTA 5 that are designed to frustrate the player, including one that requires you to wear the Epsilon robes for 10 in game days, meaning you can’t change characters for the entire time you’re doing this side quest. These missions parody exploitative cult practices, particularly Scientology. They involve Michael participating in a progressively absurd series of tasks while making increasingly large donations to the cult. The second last quest requires the player to run for 5 miles in the desert, which can be ruined very quickly by attacking wild animals. Just this section alone can take up to 40 minutes to complete. Nope, I’m not doing it, not even for that fancy Epsilon tractor you get at the end.

#7: The Night of Long Fangs

“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015)

The Witcher 3's Blood and Wine DLC stands as one of the best expansions ever created, offering a well-crafted storyline that ties up all the loose ends that were left by the main game. Once the quest The Night of Long Fangs begins, it marks the start of the final chapter of the DLC, which takes quite a long time to complete. Lasting over two hours, the quest offers little choice beyond deciding whether to seek Orianna's help or venture to the Land of a Thousand Fables near the end. From there, it's a direct path to wrapping up the DLC with one of three possible endings. Regardless of the conclusion, Blood and Wine delivers an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime adventure for Geralt. It’s easily one of the least long-feeling, long quests on our list.

#6: Still in The Dark

“Fallout: New Vegas” (2010)

The "Still in the Dark" quest in Fallout: New Vegas is relatively short at its base when compared to others on this list, typically taking around an hour to complete depending on the player’s choices and exploration. It starts when the player meets the Brotherhood of Steel faction, who tasks them with finding and activating a signal relay station. The quest involves traveling to an abandoned location, fighting off hostile enemies, and using a terminal to activate the relay. Now if the player sides with McNamara, we’re looking at an even longer quest. While the quest itself is not long, it can take longer if players explore the surrounding area or engage in additional combat encounters.

#5: Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts

“Dragon Age: Inquisition” (2014)

One of the most intricate quests in Dragon Age: Inquisition, Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts plunges the Inquisitor and their party into a web of political intrigue, backstabbers, and social climbers. With subtle, well-hidden clues and a time limit to return to the ballroom, the quest doesn't make it obvious how to achieve its goals. Finding the necessary clues and collectibles can take over an hour, if it goes well, making it a somewhat tedious experience, ESPECIALLY if it doesn’t go well… Which is often the case. However, its stunning design offers valuable insight into Orlesian culture and their obsession with masks, adding depth to the game's world. Easily one of the most engaging political missions in gaming history.

#4: Touching the Sky

“The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” (2011)

Skyrim's Dawnguard DLC grants a glimpse into the last remnants of Snow Elf civilization, hidden within the Forgotten Vale. In the Touching the Sky quest, the Dragonborn, accompanied by their preferred romance option, sets out to retrieve Auriel's Bow to defeat Harkon, an ancient vampire, once and for all. I could have made all that up and you guys would have believed me, but nonsense names aside, it’s all true. The journey begins in the gloomy, Falmer-infested Darkfall Cave, leading through a maze of tunnels to Auriel's shrine where they meet Gelebor. From there, you'll traverse the magical, snow-covered mountains of the Forgotten Vale, facing new enemies along the way. That took about 10 seconds to explain, but it takes about 2 hours to complete.

#3: The Crystal Tower

“The Elder Scrolls Online” (2014)

Hey, back to back Elder Scrolls, and not to spoil the list but the next entry is Elden Ring... So back to back Elders. In the final quest of The Crystal Tower in the Summerset Chapter of Elder Scrolls Online, the Vestige puts a stop to Nocturnal's schemes. Again, I could have made all that up. The High Elves' homeland is threatened by deadly plots orchestrated by troublesome Daedric Princes, with Nocturnal's insatiable hunger for power almost destroying all of Tamriel. This quest feels drawn out, as just when you think it's finished, you're sent to another area with a new objective. In the end, it all leads to a confrontation with Nocturnal and her allies. This is admittedly one of the longer quests on our list that actually FEELS long. Its pacing leaves a lot to be desired, coming close to 3 hours to complete, and feeling like 5.

#2: Ranni the Witch

“Elden Ring” (2022)

I told you the next entry would be Elden Ring! And what an entry it is. Now, this is still up for debate as it’s difficult to discern what exactly a quest is in Elden Ring, so even though this can be categorised as a ‘questline’, we’re including it, because it became the talk of the town for Souls fans everywhere. Ranni the Witch's questline in Elden Ring is one of the longest in the game, taking 5+ hours to complete. The journey all together has about 20 steps for its completion, and although that doesn’t sound THAT crazy, it’s the fact that it spans pretty much the entirety of the map that adds a LOT of the time invested. Elden Ring is a mammoth, and even though this quest line feels pretty huge, it’s a drop in the Rot Lake that is the full game.

#1: Steiner’s Ultimate Weapon

“Final Fantasy IX” (2000)

In Final Fantasy IX, Steiner’s ultimate weapon, the Excalibur II, is a powerful sword that can be obtained during the game's final disc. The quest for ultimate weapons in Final Fantasy games always takes the majority of a player's time, however, this particular quest comes with a challenging requirement: players must reach the final area, Pandemonium, within 12 hours of starting the game. To do so, you must avoid distractions and focus solely on story progression, as time is continuously ticking down. It’s an incredible reward for a very VERY difficult task, and don’t think it will just take 12 hours, because this game traditionally takes 3 times as long to beat, so you will NOT get it done on your first attempt.