Do Sidequests Require Visiting All Tales Of Arise Owl Locations?

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.

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.

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.