Summary
- Baldur's Gate 3 is known for its high level of reactivity to player decisions, making gameplay unique and engaging.
- Shadowheart, a companion in the game, has special low approval romance dialogue, adding depth to character relationships.
- The enduring popularity of Baldur's Gate 3 is due to its choices, reactivity, and ongoing updates, keeping players engaged.
Baldur's Gate 3 highlights its diverse level of reactivity, as one of its players shares a few examples of Shadowheart's low approval romance dialogue. Originally released in August 2023, Baldur's Gate 3 has since established itself as one of the best games of its generation. Not only did it sweep The Game Awards, but many fans continue to enjoy their adventures on the Sword Coast even in 2025. As a single-player title with co-op elements, the enduring popularity of Baldur's Gate 3 is nothing short of impressive.
While there are many noteworthy factors that make Baldur's Gate 3 fun to play, the reason behind its longevity can be attributed to choices and reactivity. Over the course of its campaign, not only does the game world react to a player's major decisions, but many NPCs also treat the player character differently based on who they are. Though many RPGs have long employed this manner of reactivity, especially BioWare games such as Mass Effect, what elevates Baldur's Gate 3 is the scope and depth of this feature.
Baldur's Gate 3: How to Romance Shadowheart
This Shadowheart romance guide will help players form and maintain an intimate relationship with the Half-Elf Cleric in Baldur's Gate 3.
One example of this reactivity is that Baldur's Gate 3 accounts for players who are in a romance with a companion, despite having low approval. This unlikely situation was showcased by Hyperspace_Towel, who shared with the game's Reddit community what happens in a low approval romance with Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3. True to her character, Shadowheart greets the player with sass, using the following phrase: "Personality isn't everything, I suppose. Plenty of relationships can limp along on physical attraction alone. What do you want?"
Baldur's Gate 3: Shadowheart Has Unique Romanced Greetings at Low Approval
Since players can start a romance with Shadowheart with only 20 points of approval, it allows the game to trigger this specific dialogue if the approval level is lower than High (41-60). Compared to some other companions in Baldur's Gate 3, it is fairly easy to accumulate approval for Shadowheart, and as such, many players have likely missed this side of the character when romancing her. What separates Shadowheart in this regard is that characters like Gale don't have unique dialogue for a low approval romance, but rather treat their partners equally.
While the team at Larian is now focused on its next project, Baldur's Gate 3 offers a complete experience that players can enjoy for many years to come. That being said, Baldur's Gate 3 players should still expect Patch #8 to arrive sometime in 2025, which will notably bring cross-play and photo mode to the game.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Engine
- Divinity 4.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Full cross-platform play.
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.
THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCE
Choose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.
A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPIC
Forged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian's next-generation RPG engine.
- Cross Save
- Full cross-platform progression.
- Franchise
- Baldur's Gate
- Number of Players
- 1-4
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical Only
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- PC Release Date
- August 3, 2023
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- December 7, 2023
- PS5 Release Date
- September 6, 2023
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- How Long To Beat
- 100+ Hours
- X|S Optimized
- yes
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-2 Players
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty