Is it true that you either have to flirt with your companions or rudely reject them?

[Janthis]

I'd rather avoid romance as I find it silly in games like this, and I heard that all companions will repeatedly try to hit on you / act like you're an item if you are simply nice to them, and your only options are to flirt back or dismiss them rudely. Is this still the case? Thanks.

[Orion Invictus]

No. Never has been.

[ReoHays]

The Dream visitor shows up in a robe and hits on you. That can be creepy if you made him a Half Ork. Gale, gets a little too close and Astarion can creep you out if you let him. But you have the option to shut it down before it goes that far.

[Woke Buster]

Yep, the writing is generally quite poor and the game offers very limited options. Also, if you play as a male there will be traps like if some other male companion asks to show you a magic trick it essentially means gay romance interaction without any hint. Or you can get a new companion, and your dialogue lines will immediately include stuff like "let's bang" or something similar, even if you never interacted before at all.

The best solution is to install the NO ALPHABETS community mod which removes all the forced political propaganda and woke nonsense from the game. Which, btw, was the main reason why Larian decided to stop working on the game, hence there will be no expansions, DLCs, or any new major content ever. But that's a topic for another thread.

[Estevan Valladares]

"Find it silly in games like this"

I wonder what game it is not silly if it is silly in an RPG

I wont comment on your IRL experience with it, but as far as I know, IRL, it is also a matter of rejecting if someone wants to be with you. It is not right, good or even healthy for your mind to simply "ignore it" and go on as if nothing happened.

[GriffinPilgrim]

Originally posted by Woke Buster:

Yep, the writing is generally quite poor and the game offers very limited options. Also, if you play as a male there will be traps like if some other male companion asks to show you a magic trick it essentially means gay romance interaction without any hint. Or you can get a new companion, and your dialogue lines will immediately include stuff like "let's bang" or something similar, even if you never interacted before at all.

The best solution is to install the NO ALPHABETS community mod which removes all the forced political propaganda and woke nonsense from the game. Which, btw, was the main reason why Larian decided to stop working on the game, hence there will be no expansions, DLCs, or any new major content ever. But that's a topic for another thread.

Ignore this politically motivated liar.
If you get close with companions they may express romantic interest but there's always an option to politely decline and the party member will drop the issue with nothing more than mild disappointment and will be happy to just be your friend from then on.

[Remedy]

All of the dismissals seemed polite to me. More like, "Sorry, I just see you as a friend. No thank you." After you have enough relationship points with them, they will indicate they are romantically interested in you through varying degrees of directness (From stating they want to sleep with you to simply inviting you on a date to drink wine) based on their personality, but once you tell them you aren't interested they shouldn't bring it up again and you are free to play without any romance.

[Lord Adorable]

Originally posted by Orion Invictus:

No. Never has been.

This is the answer.

[LeFrench]

i would not call the options to reject, rude, but there are rude options to select from.

The writing and character development is poorly planned, so it can feel jarring. feels like amateur fan fiction level of writing. i'd maybe describe it as a modern world where everyone is cosplaying. it lacks realism. so it's not actual 'literary writing'.

mostly the character issue is the bizarre levels of thirsting, and thus the resulting lack of character agency that comes from that.

[GetUrAssToMars]

All RPGs have had ♥♥♥♥ romance. This one tries particularly hard at it and only succeeded in making me laugh most of the time.

[Lord Adorable]

Originally posted by GetUrAssToMars:

All RPGs have had ♥♥♥♥ romance. This one tries particularly hard at it and only succeeded in making me laugh most of the time.

I also laughed when romancing the Emperor, as Larian intended.

[GetUrAssToMars]

Originally posted by Lord Adorable:

Originally posted by GetUrAssToMars:

All RPGs have had ♥♥♥♥ romance. This one tries particularly hard at it and only succeeded in making me laugh most of the time.

as Larian intended.

Unfortunately.

[Emilia Tempest]

Originally posted by Johnny_B_80:

I'd rather avoid romance as I find it silly in games like this, and I heard that all companions will repeatedly try to hit on you / act like you're an item if you are simply nice to them, and your only options are to flirt back or dismiss them rudely. Is this still the case? Thanks.

You dont have to rudely shut them down, most shut down options arent really rude in the first place. You just say "nah dont wanna" and they might be a little hurt but thats it, no big grudge or something

And I think I am either completely oblivious or Gale is the most homie of them all, because while I am buddy buddy with him he never really made advances, only ever got the option to make an advancement on him, not to reject his advancement
Without spoilering much, he's someone I'd actually want as a friend irl (and it is not because he banged a god nor the nuclear C4 in his body)

I also think Shadowheart has made no advances either, the only one I had was she was offering to share a bed with me after the party, but I just said "eh I think about it" and just slept alone cuz yeah
After that she never mentioned anything again and was just like a nice friend (there is apparently a kiss scene when you give her an item but I didnt get it, so maybe its just there when you romance her)
Wyll is also normal mostly, he also didnt make any advances like Gale apart from a dance (which if you take that as an advance or just friends doing stuff is up to you, for me its just friends doing stuff). And you can kiss him there but you can also not do it
Astarion also made a single advancement, same as shadowheart, and then never mentioned it again

Dunno about the rest though

[Lord Adorable]

Originally posted by GetUrAssToMars:

Originally posted by Lord Adorable:

I also laughed when romancing the Emperor, as Larian intended.

Unfortunately.

Why? That scene is pure comedy and had it's intended effect, how is that bad?

[GetUrAssToMars]

Originally posted by Lord Adorable:

Originally posted by GetUrAssToMars:

Unfortunately.

Why? That scene is pure comedy and had it's intended effect, how is that bad?

I really wasn't looking for that at that point in the story? I find their sense of humor to be hammy and forced?

Glad you enjoyed it though. They hit their mark with some to be sure.

[anachoret]

No