Many gamers recall the sensation surrounding Baldur’s Gate 3’s infamous bear scene. It certainly pushed the boundaries of in-game romance, a trend seemingly continued by titles like Warframe 1999’s Eleanor path with its, erm, ‘alien tongues.’ This made Owlcat’s 2024 CRPG Rogue Trader appear somewhat reserved by comparison. Now, the studio’s upcoming game, Warhammer 40k Dark Heresy, aims to further expand these narrative horizons with its own ‘crazy romances,’ but its inspirations stem from a different source than Baldur’s Gate 3’s more explicit moments.
Anatoly Shestov, executive producer for Dark Heresy, shared his extensive experience with Baldur’s Gate 3, having invested ’50 to 100 hours’ across various playstyles like the Dark Urge. He approached the game from a developer’s perspective, noting, ‘There are a bunch of brilliant solutions that build upon the expertise that Larian accumulated working on Divinity Original Sin – they are highly leveled up guys in this particular field [turn-based, tabletop-inspired RPGs].’
However, Shestov clarified that Baldur’s Gate 3’s romantic encounters weren’t his primary inspiration. Instead, he was captivated by the game’s remarkable capacity for player self-expression through roleplaying, where romantic interactions were merely one facet of a much broader system.
He elaborated, stating, ‘From my point of view, the main thing that differentiates Baldur’s Gate 3 from other games and [Larian]’s previous games isn’t its reactivity or romances.’
He continued, emphasizing, ‘It wasn’t even the sex with a bear, for goodness sake. It was the sheer palette of ways that you could express yourself at any given time. Not just in the combat, dialogue, interactions or exploration; no, it’s in the way it makes you think – it’s the true tabletop way of thinking.’
Shestov further explained his personal experience with BG3, describing a diverse party of five: ‘One is a crazy Selunite, one is a munchkin, one is a casual guy: they made a game where you can play solo with the option to switch to any of these different agendas.’ This flexibility, he noted, truly resonated with him.
Reflecting on development costs, Shestov admitted, ‘This was always a reasonable, understandable, valid approach [to development], it was just too expensive.’ He credited Baldur’s Gate 3 as the first game to demonstrate the tangible benefits of such investment. Consequently, BG3’s immense success has shaped Owlcat’s approach to budget allocation and player experience analysis in their own games.
I probed further into his thoughts on romance, acknowledging that Rogue Trader’s system, while compelling, was less intricate than Baldur’s Gate 3’s. I questioned whether Larian’s influence extended to Dark Heresy’s romantic features, especially since the gaming landscape now often seems to demand romance options in every new title.
Shestov explained Owlcat’s core philosophy: ‘The overall ideology we have when making a game doesn’t rely on quarters or metrics. We are genuinely making the games we like to play, and I don’t know why, but for us a good RPG comes with the option to become intimate with the precious people around you – not just in terms of sex; sex is just an achievement, but the whole idea of going under the skin, going deeper than you expected.’
He affirmed, ‘We’re not changing anything about how we’re thinking about romances. It doesn’t have any ties with Baldur’s Gate 3, or Dragon Age and Mass Effect with their own brilliant romances.’ For Owlcat, he emphasized, emotions like love, hatred, and envy represent the peak of character development, and romances serve as a powerful tool to explore these depths.
He concluded, ‘It isn’t just a checkbox task to deliver kinky stuff. It comes from what you think will allow this particular character to evolve.’
Despite this, Dark Heresy will indeed feature its share of ‘crazy romances.’ Shestov confidently stated, ‘We’re pretty open-minded. Because we’ve got one of the most talented narrative designers ever, we’re able to deliver every time. We won’t change anything; we’re proud of what we’re making, and we’ll do our best to evolve.’
The proliferation of romance options in RPGs has become a noticeable trend, with Larian’s work undoubtedly inspiring many developers. While it sometimes feels like almost every new RPG features romantic subplots, I’m eager to see how Dark Heresy expands on the systems introduced in Rogue Trader. While snuggling with a bear might not be an option, perhaps a Kroot companion offers a suitably grimdark alternative.
If you’re keen to dive into Owlcat’s unique take on one of Warhammer’s grittier narratives, you might explore more about the upcoming Dark Heresy game. For those seeking other grimdark journeys, there are many acclaimed Warhammer 40k titles to discover.
What are your thoughts on how romance is portrayed in video games? We’d love to hear your opinions on how Dark Heresy might handle character relationships.