Heartfall: A Tale in Three Lives offers a rich narrative where your choices lead to different routes and endings. Players often find themselves getting tripped up by decisions that seem trivial but can drastically alter the story. For anyone just starting out, it’s crucial to keep track of your choices to avoid missing out on key achievements.
One of the biggest mistakes I made was not saving often, especially after significant choices. I recommend making multiple save files as you progress, which will save you a lot of time and frustration if you want to explore other routes later. This is particularly important with branching endings where a single decision can lead you down a completely different path.
Before diving into the specifics, make sure you’ve gathered basic resources and are familiar with the game’s mechanics. Early resource gathering prepares you for various routes and helps fill in plot points for when you’re unlocking those important achievements.
All Routes, Endings & Achievements Guide
I’ve organized the routes from Route 0 through Route 11, noting the specific choices needed to unlock the endings I’ve confirmed. It’s essential to keep separate saves, especially for routes that branch off Route 0. This way, you can freely explore multiple outcomes without having to redo lengthy sections of the game.
Notes and Progress:
I use the following formatting to show how far I’ve progressed with each achievement:
- Bold — I’ve unlocked the achievement and provide its walkthrough below.
- Italic — I’ve identified the achievement but can’t reproduce the necessary choices yet.
- Underlined — I haven’t unlocked the achievement, but I have a rough idea of how it might be achieved.
- Plain text — An ending I’ve identified without a confirmed walkthrough in this guide.
Routes
Route 0 – Have We Been Here Before? To enter this route, I burned the Mystic Tree with Scar, leading to his death when a creeper attacks. I pledged loyalty to him and spent the night together.
- So That’s How It Went
- That’s Not How It Went
- So That’s How It Went
- That’s Not How It Went
Route 1 – The Dark Forest Starting by building my own base, I burned the Mystic Tree with Scar, killed him with a creeper, and then promised him my loyalty. Afterward, I insisted on remaining at my base.
- Alone, Beloved — I’ve gone through this outcome, but I’m still unsure of the decisions leading to Grian’s death.
- Die, Together
- Alone, Beloved — I have played through this outcome, but I still do not know which decisions cause Grian to die.
- Die, Together
Route 2 – Dog-Eat-Dog World This route follows Route 0 through the first day, where I find Martyn in the village and grumble about how I’m doing.
Route note: I’m uncertain if the achievements below belong to Route 2 or Route 5, as the code uses names like ‘Ren WhoDunnit’ and ‘Dogwarts Deception’, which adds to the ambiguity.
- All For Naught
- Almost Home
- Back Where It Started
- I’ll Be Waiting
- All For Naught
- Almost Home
- Back Where It Started
- I’ll Be Waiting
Route 3 – Live, Laugh, Divorce I decide to build my base. When Jimmy and Scott find me proposing an alliance, I agree to join them.
- Happily Egger After
- Hate Loses
- Hate Wins
- Love Loses
- Love Wins
- Happily Egger After
- Hate Loses
- Hate Wins
- Love Loses
- Love Wins
Route 4 – Ashes and Alliances I assist Joel in taming wolves and accept his offer to build a cabin together.
- A Lonely Death
- A New Family
- A Violent End — I suspect that A New Family involves staying with Cleo and BDubs, but I haven’t figured out how to prevent Joel’s death.
- A Lonely Death
- A New Family
- A Violent End — I suspect A New Family involves staying with Cleo and BDubs, but I have not worked out how to prevent Joel’s death.
Route 5 – Should’ve Aimed for the Hand This route begins like Route 0, but after finding Martyn, I initially complain about Scar and later play it off as a joke. When Martyn approaches me after a magic trick, I agree to commit a crime with him.
Route note: Like Route 2, I’m not completely sure about this assignment due to ambiguous code references.
- Can we go to the desert? — This one remains unclaimed, but there seems to be only one option, making it likely straightforward.
- Can we go to the desert? — I have not obtained this one, but there appears to be only one option, so I expect it to be straightforward.
Route 6 – The Cow Heist Jumping into Route 0, I first talk to Scott and Jimmy, agreeing to assist with their cow heist.
- Perennial Garden
- Scorched Earth
- Perennial Garden
- Scorched Earth
Route 7 – Welcome Home, Ally After leaving the village, I converse with Jimmy, agree to help him, then continue along Route 0. I decide to remember while I sleep, though I’m still not sure about those exact requirements.
- It’s Us Until The End
- To Have Your Alliances, and Keep Them Too
- Together in the Desert
- What Else Did You Expect
- It’s Us Until The End
- To Have Your Alliances, and Keep Them Too
- Together in the Desert
- What Else Did You Expect
Route 8 – Music is Magic After leaving the library, I talk to Impulse, gather the materials he needs, and help him create a music box.
- Dal Segno al Coda
- Dal Segno al Fin
- Fallen Companions
- Self-Inflicted Solitude
- Solitude
Route 9 – The Court of Last Chances
Sticking to Route 0 until day three, I venture into the flower forest and interact with a goose.
A Home Where You Are — I aimed for the bad endings, but somehow Scar survives. Dusk Til Dawn Minutes Past Midnight
Route 10 – Any-fin is Possible
On day one, I approach the sign near the dock and keep fishing until I catch a book.
- Bass Friends Forever: True Pacifish
- Fish or Be Fished: Fishmaster
- Goodbye Krill World: Fishing Anonymous
Route 11 – Wolf in Sheep’s Wool I examine the statue on the beach near Grian’s start and stare at it until it blinks.
- A Promise Fulfilled
- Never Alone Again
Unobtainable Entries
The following names were found in the game’s code; however, they don’t seem associated with any route or legitimate achievement names. They might be for testing purposes only.
catch_all impy_ending scar_ending
Achievement and Endings
In the sections that follow, I explain the choices I use to earn the achievements with clearly defined requirements. Some endings might come with significant story spoilers, so proceed carefully.
Route 0 – So That’s How It Went
Unobtainable Entries
I also found the following names in the code. They do not seem connected to a particular route and do not have proper achievement names, so I assume they are intended for testing rather than normal unlocks.
- catch_all
- impy_ending
- scar_ending
Achievement and Endings
The sections below describe the choices I use for the achievements whose requirements I have worked out. Some of the endings contain major story spoilers.
Route 0 – So That’s How It Went
To start Have We Been Here Before?, I talk to Scar after exploring the library and agree to help burn down the Mystic Tree. I collect the Flint and Steel from the mountain cave near Tango. Later that night in the village, I lead the creeper toward Scar, which kills him. To apologize, I promise to stay with him until I lose my first life, follow him into the desert, and remain there overnight.
I save every session in a separate slot because several routes can branch away from this one. Route 0 follows the original 3rd Life story closely, so anyone familiar with that series will recognize many of the decisions. There are a few choices I avoid to keep this ending available.
- After the first night, I decline Jimmy and Scott’s invitation to go on a cow heist in the forest and continue collecting base materials.
- When I meet Martyn in the village while gathering supplies, I avoid complaining too much about Scar and refuse to accompany Martyn.
- After the tree magic trick, if Martyn appears along the forest trail and asks me to commit a crime, I turn down his offer.
- During the fight at Dogwarts, Martyn attacks me and Scar with his axe. I do not take the blow, because that choice kills me and prevents this achievement. Scar survives when I pick the other response.
Ending spoilers: After Dogwarts loses, BigB, BDubs, Impulse, Scar, and I are still standing. Scar wins BDubs over with a clock, orders him to kill BigB after BigB uses his friendship pass, and BDubs then kills Impulse. Scar makes BDubs and me compete for a No Kill Pass, which BDubs gets regardless of my choice. Scar kills me and leaves me on red. When I catch up with Scar and BDubs, BDubs dies no matter whom I attack. I stop trying to kill Scar, but the dead call for us to fight. Scar gives me time to look around before meeting him in the desert. I win the final fight, jump off the cliff, and unlock So That’s How It Went after dying.
Route 0 – That’s Not How It Went
I begin this ending on the same Have We Been Here Before? route. After exploring the library, I help Scar burn the Mystic Tree using the Flint and Steel found in the mountain cave near Tango. I lead the creeper to Scar during the village night, promise to stay loyal until my first death, and spend the night with him in the desert.
I keep separate session saves here, too. The route is similar to the original 3rd Life storyline, and I avoid the same early detours: I decline Jimmy and Scott’s cow heist, do not complain too much to Martyn while gathering base supplies, and refuse Martyn’s invitation to commit a crime after the tree magic trick.
