Trying to navigate every path using a reliable Heartfall A Tale in Three Lives route guide can save you from endless head-scratching when story branches start piling up.
You’ll see exactly how to trigger every unique branch so you can chase down every scene without accidentally repeating old choices.
Introduction
Just a heads up: there will be minor spoilers ahead for the opening moments of each route.
General content warnings for the story: explosions, fantasy violence, blood, animal death, character death, trauma, injury, and suicide.
Route 0: Have We Been Here Before?
For this path, simply play along with how things go in canon!
First, take a look inside the village house.
Agree to cause a little mischief alongside Scar.
Head down into the caves to grab the flint and steel, and take a moment to meet BigB and Martyn.
Pass the flint and steel over to Scar.
Aim for a total monopoly together with Scar.
Lead the creeper straight over to the group. A quick tip: both dialogue choices end up in the same place, but sticking with the second pick gets you some extra banter.
Whenever Martyn asks about how Scar is treating you, make sure to reassure him that things are fine.
Nice work! You are now locked into Route 0.
Route 1: the Dark Forest
Right after your first visit to the village, go ahead and build your house.
Jimmy and Scott will eventually offer you an alliance—make sure to turn them down.
From here, keep following along with the canon steps from Route 0.
As you and Scar walk past your place, put your foot down and insist on living there.
You did it! Route 1 is officially underway.
Route 2: Dog-Eat-Dog World
Huge thanks to starskysaligne for capturing these screenshots!
Start off by following Route 0, which is the canon path from our main Heartfall Routes Guide.
When Martyn brings up Scar and asks how he’s treating you, speak up and complain.
Nice work! You’ve successfully kicked off Route 2.
Route 3: Live, Laugh, Divorce
Big shoutout to starskysaligne for mapping out this route!
Once you make your very first trip to the village, go ahead and build your house.
When Jimmy and Scott approach you with an offer to team up, say yes and accept the alliance.
That’s it! You are officially locked into Route 3.
Route 4: Ashes and Alliances
After your first village visit, go give Joel a hand with taming the wolves.
When he asks if you want to ally with him, accept his offer.
Congrats, you’re on your way through Route 4!
Route 5: Should’ve Aimed for the Hand
Much love to stickbug.g for helping track down this path!
Stick to Route 0, the canon path outlined in the Heartfall Routes Guide, to get started.
When Martyn asks how Scar is treating you, tell him it’s not the best, but that you’re managing fine.
While you’re out gathering driftwood for your base, take a moment to chat with Ren and BigB down on the beach.
Right after the traveling magic show wraps up, agree to join Martyn in stirring up some chaos.
There you go! You have successfully started Route 5.
Route 6: the Cow Heist
Start off by following the standard Route 0 (the canon path).
Once Scott and Jimmy start cooking up their cow heist, jump right in and join them.
Nice job! You’re officially locked into Route 6.
Route 7: Welcome Home, Ally
Content Warnings: None listed, but you can always double-check the official Heartfall carrd.
Big thanks to stickbug.g for charting out this route!
The first time you leave the village, track down Jimmy, have a chat, and lend a hand with his cow-wrangling quest.
Keep following along with Route 0 from here.
Whenever you head to bed, you’ll get a choice prompt. Make sure to pick Remember.
And there you go! You’ve kicked off Route 7.
Route 8: Music Is Magic
Huge shoutout to starskysaligne for capturing the screenshots!
While you’re checking out the village, take on Impulse’s quest and see it all the way through.
When Impulse brings it up and asks you to show him the hidden village room, go ahead and lead the way.
That does it! You’re successfully on Route 8.
Route 9: the Court of Last Chances
Shoutout to dreamishsarah for finding this path!
Stick to the default Route 0 storyline to begin.
Come Day 3, once you’ve cleared the desert and tracked down the cow, head straight for Flower Valley. Peek down toward the bottom left—you’ll spot a goose waiting there.
Get close to it, and it’ll take off sprinting.
Don’t let it get away—chase it down!
Go ahead and sabotage the grove.
Boom! You’ve officially started Route 9.
Route 10: Any-fin Is Possible!
Huge thanks to stickbug.g for helping out with the screenshots!
Once you’ve made your very first visit to the village, head back over by the lake and pick up the fishing rod.
Cast your line and keep fishing until you pull up a book.
Open up your inventory and read the book.
Go ahead and accept the quest when prompted.
Nice work! You’re officially locked into Route 10.
Route 11: Wolf in Sheep’s Wool
Content Warnings: horror, body horror, starvation, unreality/depersonalization, derealization, and scopophobia.
You can also double-check the official Heartfall carrd for details.
Big shoutout to noctis for mapping out this route and grabbing the screenshots!
Right when you start a fresh game, walk over to the statue near the lake. Keep interacting with it repeatedly until you get a staring contest prompt, or until it simply won’t let you interact anymore.
Head down to the beach and interact with the altar resting there.
Accept the quest to get things rolling.
Now you’ll need to seek out the remaining altars to gather all the missing orb pieces.
Altar locations:
Right in the center of the map
Tucked away inside the cave
Hidden inside the village’s secret room
That’s it! You’ve officially started Route 11.
Final Thoughts
Remember to brace yourself for heavier narrative twists and watch out for major content warnings like fantasy violence or trauma before locking in a risky path. Have fun shaping the story, and keep plenty of backup saves ready!
Based on the original guide by frey
