Welcome to the ranking of best RPG games with no side quests. To be honest, I love doing side-quests to become stronger for the main story. I also believe side quests adds flavor, immersion, and overall quality to the game. However, some people despise side quests. It’s understandable, everyone has different preferences.
I understand the other side too. Side quests are taking too much time, doing all side quests is not sustainable, especially if your time is limited. Another key point would be the bad implementation of side quests. Most RPGs implement side quests badly. Errand side quests for example, they’re the worst.
Also, doing too much side quests will make you forget or don’t even care about the main story… Even if you go back to main story after completing all side quests, you’ll become ultra powerful and main quest will be super easy. That wouldn’t satisfy anyone. All in all, there should be a balance between side quests and main quests. I believe side quests should be very few. Quality over quantity.
10 RPGs with no side quests:
1. Dragons Dogma
Has only like 10-15 side quests in total.
2. Tyranny
3. The Banner Saga
4. Shadowrun Franchise
5. Dark Souls
Dark Souls is an RPG franchise with only few side-quests. You simply grab you weapon and face whatever is ahead of you.
6. Wasteland 3
7. The Forgotten City
8. Octopath Traveler
9. Trials of Mana
if you like JRPG.
10. Dark Messiah of Might and Magic
1
I’m looking for an RPG without quests on Switch : NintendoSwitch (reddit.com)
2
3
[PC] Single Player RPG without hundreds of side quests : gamingsuggestions (reddit.com)
Sidequest are optional and you can just ignore them.