Do Sidequests Require Visiting All Tales Of Arise Owl Locations?

I love hunting collectibles in 'Tales of Arise', and the owl statues were some of my favorite little mysteries to track down. I tackled them like mini-explorations: first I ran an area sweep with fast travel, checking every cliff edge, cave mouth, and ruined outpost. Owls tend to be tucked into corners or perched where a normal path would miss them, so I made a habit of hugging walls, climbing obvious ledges, and poking into every alcove. That simple change in movement—looking up and off the beaten track—got me most of them. If a place felt like it should have an owl but didn’t, I saved, completed the next few story beats, then came back. Some locations open up later or become accessible after certain events. When I still couldn’t find one, I pulled up an interactive map (community maps and video guides are lifesavers) and compared it to my in-game map. Screenshotting the in-game map and marking found owls helped me feel less scatterbrained. By treating it like a checklist and revisiting after plot progress, I finished with a lot less frustration—and a good sense of the world, too.

I still get a grin thinking about tracking down those owls in 'Tales of Arise' — it's one of those little scavenger hunts that feels rewarding even before you know the loot. When you find each owl location you usually pick up small instant rewards like crafting materials, a handful of experience or money, and sometimes consumables. Those little pickups are nice for the road, but what really matters is the cumulative stuff. As you hit more owl sites you unlock permanent bonuses: map markers, a few titles that show up in your status screen, and often access to new shop recipes or a niche accessory. If you collect all of them in an area (and especially if you hunt every owl on the map) you typically earn a bigger payoff — think unique gear, a special title, and the in-game achievement/trophy. For me the best part was that the rewards feel layered: tiny treats that help immediately plus long-term unlocks that make finishing the set satisfying. It genuinely made me want to revisit zones I’d already cleared.

I still get excited typing this out because hunting those hidden owl tales always pulls me back into 'Tales of Arise' like a magnet. Okay — the owls are clustered by region and usually hide near memorable landmarks: abandoned towers, waterfalls, high cliffs, and ancient statues. Start at the coastal town and sweep inland. You'll find an owl perched on the east watchtower ruins just above the fisherman's cove; climb the broken ladder and shimmy along the beam. Another sits in the mossy courtyard of the ruined monastery north of the market — it's behind a toppled archway that you can only reach by dropping down from the western cliff path. Head to the orchard plateau for two more: one near the windmill's shadow, tucked behind a haystack, and another inside a hollow tree on the lower terrace. In the mountain pass there’s a tricky one above the icy gorge; you need to glide from the basalt outcrop after lighting the brazier to unlock a temporary updraft. The lake island owl requires the rowboat or a timed grappling window when the tide lowers. I like mapping them region-by-region as I collect — it makes the scavenger hunt feel organized and rewards exploration. Every owl I find ends up being a tiny story seed, and I love piecing them together as I go.

I'm that sort of obsessive collector who maps out every nook when I play, and in 'Tales of Arise' the rare owl spawns tend to hide in places that reward curiosity more than brute force. I usually start by checking high, exposed vantage points — cliff edges, ridgelines above valleys, and mountain passes. Owls in the game love verticality: ledges you can only reach by a short climb or a timed jump frequently hide one or two. I also make a habit of circling ruined temples and overgrown watchtowers; those places often tuck collectibles into balconies, behind broken battlements, or in alcoves you pass once and forget about. Another trick I swear by is revisiting marshes and quiet groves at night. Certain rare owls spawn only after the sun drops — the ambient sounds change and I listen for subtle hoots. If a place feels too open, I scan the edges: small cave mouths, the underside of bridges, and shallow cave networks at the base of waterfalls are classic spots. Between that and checking small islands and coastal caves I usually pick up the ones I missed earlier. I enjoy the treasure-hunt vibe, and finding a tucked-away owl always gives me that small victory buzz.

Quick practical take: no, you can't pin owl locations as teleport destinations in 'Tales of Arise'. I learned this the hard way when I kept expecting the cute little bird icons in my head to act like warp pillars. In 'Tales of Arise' fast travel is tied to unlocked travel points (the blue waypoints you discover while exploring) and camps. You can set a custom marker on the world map to help guide you, but that marker is only for navigation — it doesn't instantly teleport you there. So the trick is to explore, find and interact with the travel points, and then use the world map fast-travel option to hop between them. I usually make a habit of sweeping an area for every travel point as soon as a new region opens; once they're on your map, fast travel becomes smooth and I stop stressing about chasing every little icon. Feels cleaner once you get used to it.

Totally hooked on the little mysteries of the map, I’ve noticed that not every fairy ring is just a free teleport—some sit inside regions that are locked behind quests. From my experience, the clearest ones that require quest completion are: Canifis area (you need to have done 'Priest in Peril' to access Morytania), the Mort Myre/Mort'ton swamp ring (requires 'Nature Spirit' to fully access the swamp), Keldagrim (you’ll need 'The Giant Dwarf' to properly enter the city), and Shilo Village (you need the 'Shilo Village' quest to reach that village without unusual detours). On top of those, a handful of rings land you inside other quest-gated places—Ape Atoll teleports are only useful after 'Monkey Madness I' because of how the island works, and some rings drop you into areas near Trollheim or other high-level zones where having completed 'Troll Stronghold' or related quests makes life a lot easier. If you wander into one of those rings without the quest done, you might be stuck or forced to use a longer route. Personally I always plan my route around which quests I’ve finished; unlocking a few of those quests turns fairy rings from convenient shortcuts into absolute game-changers, and I love that feeling of suddenly opening up a whole chunk of the map.

Wow, this one sparks a lot of tiny debates in my friend group — and I love that. For me, side quests in 'Tales of Arise' act more like seasoning than the main course: the primary romance beats are anchored in the main story, but the side content deepens emotional context and sometimes unlocks intimate scenes that make the relationship feel earned. I’ve noticed that completing character-specific quests and optional episodes adds layers to a bond. You don’t suddenly get a completely different ending from doing a random fetch quest, but you do get more moments that reveal motivations, regrets, and quiet tenderness. Those scenes matter because they change how a final conversation lands. Also watch out for quests that become unavailable after certain chapters — if you want the full emotional weight, don’t rush the finale without checking for missed episodes. So, if you’re chasing a romantic vibe: prioritize story-linked side quests for the characters you care about, seek out their optional scenes, and keep save files before major chapter gates. You’ll feel the payoff in those quieter scenes that linger long after credits roll.

The beauty of 'Breath of the Wild' lies in its sprawling world, and side quests are like hidden gems scattered across Hyrule. I spent weeks just wandering, stumbling upon these little adventures by accident. One trick I learned is to talk to every NPC—twice. Some quests only trigger after a second conversation or at specific times. For example, the 'From the Ground Up' quest in Tarrey Town unfolds over multiple stages, and you’d miss it if you don’t revisit Hudson after certain milestones. Another tip: use the Sheikah Slate’s sensor to track quest-related items. It’s not just for shrines! Adjust the sensor to find things like rare mushrooms or ancient materials. And don’t rush. Some quests, like 'The Stolen Heirloom' in Kakariko Village, require you to eavesdrop or follow clues subtly. The game rewards patience and curiosity, so soak in the details.

My curiosity took over the moment I finished the story, and I started hunting down real-life spots that inspired the 'new town'. The first place I check is the fandom wiki and Google Maps — you can often find exact coordinates for the train station, the hilltop shrine, or the riverside café that shows up in screenshots. I once mapped a whole afternoon around a small coastal town because someone on the wiki linked a local blog post pointing to an old pier; it turned out to be the best photo spot for sunset. If you want something more organized, look for official or fan walking tours. Local tourism boards sometimes lean into popular media and create pamphlets or guided routes — I found a printed guide at a tourist center once that matched locations in 'Your Name' almost beat-for-beat. Social media geotags and hashtags are gold mines too: search Instagram, Twitter, or even TikTok for the town name plus tags like #pilgrimage or #locationhunt. Don’t forget Street View for pre-checking accessibility and camera angles so you can plan golden hour shots. One practical note from my own trips: be respectful. Many of these places are people’s homes, small businesses, or quiet shrines. Buy something at the café, keep noise down, and follow local rules. If you’re into deeper exploration, local guesthouses and seasonal festivals give you the best vibe and context. I still get a little thrill whenever I spot a doorway or bench that feels exactly like the scene in the work—try it and see which corner of the 'new town' grabs you.