LogInAvowed's Game Director says that if you want to pay romances off, "you really have to invest a lot in doing them well."
Image credit: Obsidian, Avowed
With each passing day, we get to learn more and more about the upcoming Avowed, a first-person fantasy RPG developed by Obsidian. Just over a week ago, we reported that the "companion approval system" wouldn't be part of Avowed, so players shouldn't be worried about losing their companions just because of the wrong decisions made.
You can influence the story of your companion, level them up, and "choose where their skill points go", but you won't be able to engage in a romantic relationship with them as Avowed Game Director Carrie Patel shared in a recent interview with Eurogamer.
"You can't romance your companions in Avowed," Patel shared with Eurogamer. "I know we did some romances for companions in Deadfire, but the thing we found, which I'm sure any developer who has tried them has found, is that to pay them off, you really have to invest a lot in doing them well."
Image credit: Obsidian, Avowed
According to Patel, adding novels needs to be done in a way that suits the characters well, but also makes the playthrough more interesting for the player.
If you include romantic elements in the game, then this must be done with maximum impact and immersion, otherwise, it'll be hard to meet players' expectations. Creating a special romance system in a story-based game is a lot of work since you need to write out various options for meaningful relationships or friendships.
"You also want to balance whatever you're putting into romantic relationships with ensuring that players who don't choose the romance path still have a fulfilling and complete experience with those companions," Patel added.
What do you think about Obsidian's decision to exclude romances with companions? You can share your opinion in the comment section below.
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