Avowed is the latest game from Obsidian Entertainment, a true standout among RPG developers, who are best known for titles like Fallout: New Vegas, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and many more. A first-person RPG akin to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Avowed throws you into a lush fantasy world with rich lore and a wide cast of characters, along with plenty of creatures and bandits to battle. In Obsidian’s signature style, player choice is pushed to the forefront both in gameplay and the plot, where your decisions can radically change the outcome of the story. Accessible, polished, and beautifully fantastical, Avowed is an RPG that’s great for genre beginners and scratches the itch for seasoned players.
The Mystery of the Dreamscourge
In Avowed, you are not some random adventurer fresh off a boat or out of the sewer, but instead, a storied character with a mysterious affliction. Touched by one of the several gods at birth and raised by the royal family, you are known as a godlike, a marked demi-human that draws both respect and ire. Sent to the dangerous Living Lands as a royal envoy of the Emperor, your mission is to investigate rumors of a mysterious plague known as the “Dreamscourge”, which is causing all manner of chaos and threatening the livelihood of the entire kingdom.
It’s important to note that Avowed is set in the same universe as the Pillars of Eternity franchise, so the world is already ripe with lore from 10 years of existing content. The game is split into several zones, and each has different factions to mingle with, detailed cities to explore, and stories separate from the main quest. As is common in games developed by Obsidian, you’re granted a lot of choice in how you interact with these characters and factions, both in conversation and in quests. You can befriend them, betray them, or do your best to play both sides of the coin, depending on how you want to roleplay. Your decisions, both big and small, will sometimes drastically alter the outcome of quests, making them feel more meaningful than your average RPG fodder.
Be the Hero You Want
This emphasis on player choice is found in more than just dialogue options, as the combat systems encourage variety and experimentation over strict class-specific playstyles. Even though you choose a “starting class” of sorts at the beginning of your adventure, you are never locked out of using any weapon type. Warriors can wield wands, wizards may choose to become proficient with bows, and so forth. The same goes for the three major skill trees in the game: Fighter, Ranger, and Wizard. Abilities can be plucked from any of these skill trees with no restrictions, allowing you to create whatever weird, hybrid class you desire.
The zones in Avowed are rather small when compared to other modern RPGs, but the game makes up for it with highly detailed environments that are packed with loads of hidden goodies to reward curious explorers. Treasure chests hold loot and other resources are found at high frequency, but if you’re extra observant, you’re bound to come across some exceptionally rare items or fun environmental puzzles to solve. Better yet, Avowed uses a very basic crafting system for upgrading your weapons and armor, so even if you don’t have an immediate use for the loot you find, you can always break it down to upgrade your existing gear. In this way, exploration always feels rewarding, even if you only come away with common-level gear that you end up destroying.
Overall, Avowed is a colorful and exciting RPG that delivers an intriguing story and deep combat, all in an effort to put the player at the center of the action. The player not only dictates the outcome of the story, but also the pace, speed, and intensity of the combat, with plenty of opportunities to switch things up. Whether you want to be a stealthy assassin, a brute-force warrior, a spell-slinging mage, or a combination of all three, Avowed gives you ample ways to shape the experience to your liking. Over the past 20 years, Obsidian Entertainment has kept the bar high with quality releases, and Avowed is just another example of a fantastic RPG from an experienced developer that consistently delivers a good time.
