Avowed Has a Little Bit of Romance In It After All

Obsidian's highly anticipated game, Avowed, has now entered advanced access, offering eager players a chance to explore the enchanting Living Lands. As adventurers delve into this new world, they may encounter magical items, face various dangers, and perhaps even find a touch of romance along the way.

In the lead-up to Avowed's release, Obsidian had made it clear that the game would not include a traditional romance system. Instead, the focus was set on developing "thoughtful relationships" with the game's companions. Game director Carrie Patel shared her thoughts on this in an interview with IGN:

"We are building thoughtful relationships with our companion characters," Patel 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, early players and reviewers have discovered that, contrary to initial statements, romance does seem to play a role in Avowed. **Spoilers ahead** for those who wish to remain unspoiled about interactions with the companion Kai, you might want to stop reading now.