Obsidian's Avowed, now available in early access, has surprised players with a romantic subplot, despite earlier statements from the developers. While Obsidian previously stated Avowed wouldn't include a dedicated romance system, focusing instead on "thoughtful relationships" with companions, early gameplay reveals at least one companion, Kai, develops romantic feelings for the player character.
This contradicts previous statements by Avowed game director Carrie Patel, who, in an IGN interview, explained their decision to avoid a traditional romance system: "We are building thoughtful relationships with our companion characters," Patel stated. "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."
Early access players and reviewers are reporting romantic interactions with Kai, prompting a spoiler warning for those wishing to experience the game unspoiled. Further details regarding these interactions are being withheld to prevent revealing key plot points.
