In the wonderfully absurd world of Sunset Overdrive, even the side quests come with a twist—and a spin. One such quirky mission involves recovering overdue quest icons that were rented out to various eccentric NPCs around the city. This lighthearted, satirical romp takes the traditional fetch quest formula and turns it on its head, all while playfully mocking game mechanics and RPG tropes. Here’s how to complete the Quest Icon Recovery mission, what to expect, and why it’s more than just a punchline.

Starting the Quest: Talking to the Icon Lady

It all begins with a tongue-in-cheek interaction at a vendor stand where you’re greeted by a woman “just closing up shop.” She brushes off your help until you mention the rotating quest icon above her head. She admits she rents them out so people can help one another—but apparently, people are more than happy to keep these icons without returning them.

Your task? Track down the scattered, overdue quest icons. The only rule? Retrieve them without damaging the merchandise. What follows is a citywide scavenger hunt filled with colorful characters, witty banter, and all the absurdity that Sunset Overdrive is known for.

The Icon Recovery Journey: Characters and Challenges

Each missing icon is tied to a quirky NPC or scenario, each more ridiculous than the last. Here are some memorable highlights:

• Teddy Bear Slippers Guy: One of the icons was traded for a pair of cozy slippers. Who’s the only person in Sunset City with that kind of boldness? You’ll find out soon enough.
• Floyd and the Quest-ception: Floyd, your go-to guy for Amps, jokingly threatens to start a recursive quest loop if you try to get your icon back through a quest. To avoid crashing the “game,” he hands it over with some reluctance.
• Dumpster Diving: Another icon was unceremoniously tossed in a dumpster behind a building. It may be trashy, but it’s still good. Time to get dirty.
• Troop Bushido’s Trap Mishap: A well-intentioned idea to use a quest icon as bait backfires spectacularly. You’re asked to undo the trap so people trying to help don’t get, well, killed. In return, you’re allowed to keep the icon.
• Captain and Commander Level 99: A heavily committed gamer-type NPC shattered his icon into pieces and scattered them across the area. You’ll need to locate all the fragments before heading to the “Goblet of War,” where they can presumably be reassembled.
• Fishco vs. Scabs: In one bizarre turn, survivors used the icon to encourage charitable donations. To retrieve it, you’ll have to survive a hectic encounter in the middle of a turf war. Naturally.
• Charity and Children: A handful of interactions frame the icons as part of charitable efforts for “the children,” layering some mild guilt on your retrievals. You’ll need to help out and, in some cases, make monetary contributions just to walk away with the goods.

Completing the Mission: Back to the Beginning

After you’ve tracked down every spinning icon and survived every ridiculous situation, you’ll return to the original vendor. The icons may not be in mint condition, but they’re still “functional.” What’s most telling, though, is her final reflection: “What is it about these icons that make people so damned helpful?” Her answer? “It ain’t the icons, baby—it’s what you get on the back end.”

Final Thoughts: Satire Meets Gameplay

This side quest is a great example of how Sunset Overdrive blends narrative satire with engaging gameplay. It pokes fun at traditional RPG systems—like fetch quests and player incentives—while also being genuinely enjoyable. The diversity of objectives, from combat encounters to platforming challenges and dialogue-driven humor, makes the entire process memorable.

Not every game rewards you for retrieving someone’s lost floating exclamation mark, but in Sunset Overdrive, you’ll do it with style, laughter, and a whole lot of absurdity.

Now that the city’s quest economy is restored, you’re free to continue your chaotic adventure—just keep an eye out for any more spinning icons. You never know when another character will decide to “borrow” one.