Avowed Has a Little Bit of Romance In It After All

Obsidian's Avowed, now available in early access, invites players to explore the Living Lands, encountering magic, peril, and surprisingly, the possibility of romance. While Obsidian previously stated Avowed wouldn't include a dedicated romance system, opting instead for "thoughtful relationships" with companions, early access gameplay reveals a different story.

Game director Carrie Patel's earlier comments to IGN emphasized the commitment required for a successful romance system: "We are building thoughtful relationships with our companion characters," she explained. "Ultimately, I personally am a fan of making that an option, but I feel like if you're going to do it, you really, really have to commit and make sure that you're giving all to fulfilling that in a way that feels both true to the character, but also creates an engaging player experience. So not something we're doing for Avowed, but I wouldn't say never."

However, initial player reports and reviews indicate at least one companion, Kai, displays romantic interest in the player character. Significant spoilers for interactions with Kai follow. Proceed with caution.

Spoiler Warning!