- Route 0: Have We Been Here Before?
- How to start Route 0
- Achievement: So That’s How It Went
- Achievement: That’s Not How It Went
- Route 1: The Dark Forest
- Route 2: Dog-Eat-Dog World
- Route 3: Live, Laugh, Divorce
- Route 4: Ashes and Alliances
- How to start Route 4
- Achievement: A Lonely Death
- Save before Session 6
- Route 5: Should’ve Aimed for the Hand
In Heartfall — A Tale in Three Lives, your story unfolds through a web of delicate choices that shape the fate of your character and those around you. Figuring out how to unlock its multiple endings is essential for anyone wanting to experience the full emotional depth and variety this narrative-driven game offers.
Each of the 12 distinct story routes in Heartfall offers its own set of achievements and unique conclusions. Progressing through these paths requires making pivotal decisions—whether to save or abandon certain characters, reject plans, or navigate challenging moral dilemmas.
Warning: The following covers crucial plot details and endings, including scenes with violence, horror, and body horror elements that may be unsettling.
Route 0: Have We Been Here Before?
Achievements: So That’s How It Went, That’s Not How It Went
This initial route is the backbone of Heartfall’s narrative and an excellent starting point to get comfortable with the gameplay. It closely follows the core story, setting the stage for everything else.
How to start Route 0
Begin by answering the introspective prompts: Who am I?, Where am I?, and What am I doing here? These choices help establish your character’s identity.
Once completed, choose Let’s move on to advance the story and trigger your first objectives.
Approach the sparkling items nearby to collect essential tools: a Pickaxe, an Iron Sword, and a Wood Axe. These will prove vital throughout your journey.
Explore all the glittering spots in your vicinity closely. When prompted, choose to Follow the trail and respond You bet? to move the story forward.
Inspect the sparkling markers to the right to find footprints that lead you towards the village. Select Follow it to continue on this path.
Check the house with a note pinned to the door; this is an important scene that sets a narrative tone.
Choose the following responses to progress:
- Take a look
- Time to find out if you are illiterate
Engage with Scar and respond with these dialogue options to build rapport:
- Nope
- Your secret is safe with me
- It’s Grian
- Why’d you think you can trust me?
- Waah! Who said anything about allying? Why even?
- I’m listening
- It’s a little hard to miss
- I like where your head is
Accept the quest Cause mischief with Scar? to set events in motion.
Leave the village and pick up the Mountain Trail to explore further.
Enter the caves to find the Flint and Steel. Be sure to Interact with the Trolley during this sequence.
Here you’ll encounter Bigb and Martyn, setting the stage for a tense meeting.
- Sneak up and get the jump on them
- HI DUDE!
- The name’s Grian
- Nope, you are out. Too much caving for one day.
Successfully make contact and claim the Flint and Steel items.
Return to the village and hand the Flint and Steel over to Scar to progress the plot.
Distract Etho, allowing Scar to ignite the Mystic Tree, which dramatically changes the environment and story tension.
At the village entrance, interact with Scar and select:
- Seek monopoly
Later at night, lure a creeper to Scar to execute a pivotal plan that has lasting consequences.
Once Scar dies, vow to stay with him until you lose your first life, cementing the bond between your characters.
Follow Scar into the desert and endure the night together, reinforcing the emotional impact of this chapter.
Make sure to save your progress in a separate file before advancing further, as replaying is necessary to unlock both Route 0 achievements.
Achievement: So That’s How It Went
To earn this achievement, adhere closely to the main storyline without deviating through alternative choices that alter the timeline.
When offered to join Jimmy and Scott on a cow heist while gathering materials, decline the invitation to preserve the original narrative.
Upon meeting Martyn in the village, avoid complaining about Scar and pick It’s enjoyable to maintain the original flow.
Reject Martyn’s offer to accompany him if extended, staying true to the core timeline.
After witnessing the tree magic trick, Martyn may request you commit a crime together. Choose to Decline to avoid breaking the main story events.
During the Dogwarts fight, Martyn attacks with an axe. When prompted, do not take the blow to keep your first life intact and qualify for this achievement.
If you take the hit, you’ll lose your first life prematurely, disqualifying you from this achievement in that playthrough.
Press on with the narrative; after the battle, key characters like BDubs, BigB, Impulse, and others will play their roles in the ensuing events.
Soon Scar abandons you amid conflict. Proceed to the final desert showdown, defeat Scar, then choose to jump off the cliff when offered. Your death unlocks the achievement.
This sequence signifies the completion of the So That’s How It Went path.
Achievement: That’s Not How It Went
Reload a save prior to the Dogwarts fight with all previous choices unchanged to start this branching path.
When Martyn attacks, deliberately choose to take the blow, sacrificing your first life earlier.
This early death shifts the narrative, putting you on red life status well before the main story unfolds.
Scar survives and reunites with you after respawning. Both of you face a fatal outcome during the altered Dogwarts battle.
Post-battle, the achievement unlocks, marking this darker divergent route.
Route 1: The Dark Forest
Achievements: Alone, Beloved, Die, Together
This route detours from moving to Flower Valley, focusing instead on establishing your own base in the wilderness.
Upon first visiting the village, accept the quest Build a little base? to initiate this path.
Turn down Jimmy and Scott’s offer to relocate to Flower Valley to remain independent.
Continue traveling with Scar, embracing this divergent lifestyle.
Upon passing your house with Scar, insist on living there to cement your goal.
Select Take a close look, one last time when prompted, signifying commitment.
When questioned about maintaining the base, choose Accept to commit fully.
These choices officially branch you onto Route 1 and its stories.
Work in progress.
Route 2: Dog-Eat-Dog World
Achievements: All For Naught, Almost Home, Back Where It Started, I’ll Be Waiting
Play through Route 0’s first day, then during your village visit seek out Martyn for conversation.
Express discontent with your situation involving Scar through dialogue choices. This steers you onto Route 2’s challenging path.
Work in progress.
Route 3: Live, Laugh, Divorce
Achievements: Happily Egger After, Hate Loses, Hate Wins, Love Loses, Love Wins
Join Jimmy and Scott’s offer to move to Flower Valley to begin this story route.
- First time in village.
- Build your house.
- Accept the invitation to move to Flower Valley.
You’re now on Route 3, ready to explore its unique twists.
Work in progress.
Route 4: Ashes and Alliances
Achievements: A Lonely Death, A New Family, A Violent End
Trace your shifting bonds with Joel and the Crastle faction in this emotionally intense route.
How to start Route 4
- After house exploration, locate Joel in the western forest near Jimmy and the cows.
- Assist him in taming wolves.
- Speak to Joel again post-wolf adventure.
- Agree to build a cabin alongside him.
These steps officially initiate Route 4.
Achievement: A Lonely Death
Trigger this ending by fleeing the Crastle with Joel during session six.
Early happenings include Joel’s first life lost in Tango’s Dare to Flare and your own demise by a wolf. Later the cabin ignites while you both rest.
Joel risks his life saving wolves trapped inside, but only one escapes. The fiery tragedy claims Joel and the pack.
Later you discover Cleo started the blaze, seeking revenge for Joel hoarding Mystic Wood. Cleo offers refuge for you, Joel, BDubs, and herself at the Crastle.
Facing Dogwarts’ looming threat, you ally with the group and ultimately sacrifice yourself for Joel, culminating in a poignant conversation about mutual devotion.
Save before Session 6
Keep a separate save from Session 5’s night to explore alternate endings branching on the upcoming morning’s choice.
- On Session 6 morning, meet Joel outside near the Crastle.
- Hear his concerns about the looming battle.
- Choose Run away with Joel to reveal divergent outcomes.
This choice results in losing favor with Cleo and BDubs, altering your story trajectory.
You and Joel attempt sanctuary with Jimmy and Scott, but find Jimmy is dead and Scott refuses aid. You retreat to the beach together.
Martyn confronts you, explaining the allies’ misfortune. In the fight, Joel absorbs a fatal blow meant for you.
Without Joel, you do not resist when Martyn attacks again, triggering the A Lonely Death achievement.
Route 5: Should’ve Aimed for the Hand
Achievement: Can we go to the desert?
This path starts with Martyn proposing to create chaos alongside you, opening yet another challenging storyline.