Fantasy RPGs are often doomed to be compared to giants like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Skyrim. But in the case of Avowed, I don’t think that comparison is entirely fair. Obsidian Entertainment’s latest game carves its own path, embraces a more focused scale, and excels at what it sets out to do. And you know what? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
A Godlike With a Mission
One example of Avowed’s smaller scale is the limited choice of playable races; you can only choose between playing as a human or an elf. This is because the protagonist, known as the Envoy, hails from the Aedyr Empire, a realm dominated by these two races.
No less than the emperor himself has tasked you with investigating a mysterious “soul plague” called the Dreamscourge, which is spreading at an alarming rate across the Living Lands.
Players familiar with the Pillars of Eternity universe, in which Avowed is set, will know that this world is teeming with gods. As a Godlike, you are a mortal who has been physically and spiritually touched by one of these divine beings. This manifests in striking physical traits—such as fungal growths on the face or the presence of horns.
In short, you’re not only the personal envoy of a mighty emperor but also something of a demigod. Depending on political allegiances, people will either revere or despise you, and your divine power will open certain doors. The question is: how will you wield that influence, and how will you guide the Living Lands through this crisis?
The Living Lands Is One of the Most Unique and Breathtaking Fantasy RPG Worlds I’ve Ever Explored
As you journey through the Living Lands, you’ll traverse a series of well-designed hubs, each with its own distinct atmosphere and, naturally, its own challenges. Challenges with which you may choose to help, or… you know… maybe make things worse.
Cities, lush fields, shadowy forests, deserts, dripping caves; you’ll encounter them all, and every single one is a visual delight. The world’s aesthetic and atmosphere are among Avowed’s undeniable highlights. Honestly, the fact that the game doesn’t have a photo mode should be illegal—because even without one, I found myself constantly taking screenshots.
What truly sets this world apart is its color palette. Fantasy settings often fall into familiar tropes: dark caves crawling with giant spiders (seriously, can we retire the giant spiders already?), crumbling ruins, sacred temples. And Avowed… well, now that I list those out, it actually does the same thing. But here’s the difference: the vibrant flora and fauna give the world an entirely fresh and mesmerizing feel.
“What truly sets this world apart is its color palette… the vibrant flora and fauna give the world an entirely fresh and mesmerizing feel.”
Nighttime, in particular, left me speechless. The first time the world transitioned into night, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The dark landscape became beautifully illuminated by glowing mushrooms, lanterns, and all manner of mystical substances.
Even the caves feel completely different from what we’re used to. The same bioluminescent elements infuse them with rich, glowing hues, making them just as inviting to explore as they are beautiful to behold.
But of course, our Envoy isn’t here just to take in the scenery. There are dangers to face as well. Obsidian Entertainment doesn’t just deliver a stunning world; it also introduces unique combat mechanics and weapon combinations that make Avowed stand out in more ways than one.
The Composition of Your Build and Weapons Is Incredibly Flexible
Normally, I always start a fantasy RPG as a warrior or knight, with the plan to play as a mage in my second playthrough. After 25 years of gaming, I’ve finally realized that second playthroughs don’t always happen, so this time, I dove right in as a mage. This decision was largely inspired by how cool it looked in videos—how often do you see a mage/wizard actually holding a grimoire while unleashing magical hell on their enemies?
The first roughly 10 hours were fine. I cast devastating spells on somewhat underwhelming and repetitive enemies, but between those spells, I was attacking with a wand that, at the time, didn’t deal much damage.
I wanted to deal more damage and rely less on essence (Avowed’s version of mana). After completing a side quest, I was rewarded with a beautiful pistol that did significantly more damage than my wand. Earlier, I’d also received a unique shield, so I decided to combine the two. A shield and a pistol in a fantasy RPG? How awesome is that?!
Another quest provided me with a stunning Arquebus, a two-handed gun, which became my main weapon for the remainder of the game.
Fortunately, switching between different setups is incredibly easy. You can save two loadouts and seamlessly switch between them with the press of a button. Want to wield a wand in one hand and a sword in the other, or perhaps a magical bow in one hand and a shield in the other? It’s all possible, and you can switch and adjust on the fly without diving into menus. A truly standout feature.
Combat Itself Can Feel Amazing, but Comes With Some Frustrations
Once you’ve got your weapons sorted, you still need to use them. I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with the combat in Avowed. The first half of the game felt a bit awkward, but the second half was extremely satisfying. I think this was mainly due to finding my beloved Arquebus, but that’s another story.
One thing that frustrated me early on was how enemies tend to “cheat” their final steps. One moment, they’re several meters away, and the next, they almost teleport right next to you to land a hit. It felt a bit cheap.
Luckily, there are plenty of warning signs to indicate incoming attacks. Yellow indicators appear on screen, showing you the direction the attack is coming from. Your teammates, more on them later, are also kind enough to point out the direction of potential danger.
Your Godlike character, depending on your build, equipment, and of course your own skills as a player, has the flexibility to dodge or parry these attacks at the right moment. When the opportunity arises, you can strike back with melee or special attacks that can be bound to specific buttons. For example, even with my two-handed gun, I still had the option to unleash a massive fireball on a group of enemies with a single button press.
Enemies have both health and stun bars. Once the stun bar is filled, you can land devastating critical hits that deal massive damage. My priority was to build my character, bonuses, and weapons to focus on dealing stun damage, which allowed me to easily take on quests that were technically above my level later in the game. That kind of progress felt really satisfying.
Sometimes Less Is More, but Sometimes It Really Isn’t
Avowed often faces criticism for not having enough RPG elements or for not being large-scale enough. Interestingly, these are aspects that, in my opinion, actually bring some advantages. Avowed is more focused, and that focus often works in its favor.
Each region contains various main quests, side quests, and bounties. Some RPGs overwhelm you with so many quests that you almost feel inundated. I won’t name names, but… Baldur’s Gate 3, for example.
The quests presented in Avowed for each region are manageable. I never felt like I needed to spend dozens of hours just to finish a region, nor did I feel like I’d ever get bored. The balance felt perfect to me, though if you’re expecting dozens of quests in a region, you might be disappointed.
Another example is that some players may be disappointed that you don’t have to manage the equipment of your companions. For me, however, this was actually a plus. It saved me hours of menu management and allowed me to focus on myself, giving me more time to explore the beautiful world.
“The quests presented in Avowed for each region are manageable. I never felt like I needed to spend dozens of hours just to finish a region, nor did I feel like I’d ever get bored. The balance felt perfect to me.“
The line between intentionally adopting a “less is more” approach and delivering a game that feels unfinished is a fine one, though. At times, the latter seems to come into play. For instance, the game’s graphics can be hit or miss.
While I praised the landscapes, it’s the effects and details that are disappointing and feel outdated. For example, in sand or snow, I always check to see if I leave footprints behind (I know, I’m a bit odd). This isn’t the case in Avowed, which I think is a little bit disappointing in today’s gaming landscape.
Jumping into puddles of water doesn’t create ripples, and many fragile objects don’t actually break when you hit them with your weapon. These aren’t game-breaking issues, but they do add up, making it feel, at times, like the game was rushed towards completion.
The most glaring issue in this regard is that only two out of the four companions have a special companion quest. This is as surprising as it is disappointing. Companions are one of Avowed’s standout features, and each of them deserved a dedicated quest of their own.
The Companions Are Beautifully Designed, Both in Appearance and Character, and Their Interactions Often Made Me Smile
Since I enjoy discovering my companions on my own, I won’t spoil too many details. I can make an exception for the first one, as he immediately crosses your path, and coincidentally, he’s also the one I have the most to say about.
I’m talking about Kai, the coastal Aumaua from Rauatai. I was a fan of him right from the moment he opened his mouth, mainly because he’s voiced by none other than Brandon Keener, who previously brought Mass Effect’s legendary Garrus Vakarian to life. But even after getting over that pleasant surprise, the character continued to impress me.
Kai has an excellent dry sense of humor, and his perfectly timed one-liners had me chuckling throughout the adventure. He really shines in his interactions with the other companions, especially with one companion with whom he shares a history. In most RPGs, we build new relationships with our companions, but the fun in Avowed is that some of the team members already know each other well.
This leads to entertaining dialogues between the incredibly diverse team members, with old memories being brought up that you, as the player, know nothing about. Many of these dialogues take place around the campfire. RPG parties you can talk to around camp? A checkbox for unoriginality, but more importantly, a big bonus. Give me a cozy campfire and a few fun companions to chat with, and I’m a happy gamer.
Visually, the companions look fantastic as well. I appreciated seeing races other than elves or dwarves, and their design is quite impressive.
Companion quests are, of course, fantastic for further developing characters and helping players form stronger bonds with them. I also noticed that after completing the available companion quests, I had an even greater appreciation for these specific teammates. Therefore, it’s certainly a missed opportunity that not the entire team gets this treatment.
Exploration Feels Great Thanks to Parkour and Is Rewarding
The different regions are packed with treasure chests filled with valuable items like money, weapons, and resources to upgrade your gear. Even things you don’t immediately want to use can be broken down to get the resources you need. Gather enough of one type of material, and you can convert it into an even more valuable resource. In short, almost everything you find is useful, one way or another.
As a result, it’s worth scouring the regions in search of these chests. But even without the valuable loot, I’d still gladly spend my time doing it because finding and reaching these chests is already a fun, little challenge.
The golden rule in games: always head toward places your quest marker doesn’t point to. Avowed invites you to explore everything that stands out in your surroundings. If you spot certain ledges or rock formations that you can climb, you can bet there’s a reward waiting for you when you take the climbing route. Can you swim somewhere? A quick dive might lead you into one of the many beautiful caves filled with valuable loot.
And thanks to the Envoy’s smooth movements, it’s always a pleasure to take such little detours. Running, jumping, and climbing all feel great. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why. Perhaps it’s a combination of responsiveness, animations, speed, and sound effects, but navigating your character just feels good.
As if that weren’t enough, exploring Avowed’s hubs can even have a significant impact on a major event in the main story. An NPC might give you a clue, but there’s no quest marker to guide you. The fact that I could affect this event so heavily, purely through exploration, is a huge plus.
Choices… Choices
I have a huge weakness for games that present you with choices, and Avowed certainly delivers in that regard. Games that make me stare at the screen for minutes, agonizing over what to choose, are rare. Often, it’s pretty clear what the “right” moral choice is, and I tend to go with that in my first playthrough. But it’s far more interesting when it’s not so obvious what the right choice is. Choices in the gray areas; those are what make dilemmas truly compelling.
Halfway through the game, I had written in my notes for this review: “too few gray areas/too clear what’s evil and what’s good.” But I soon revisited this thought. Avowed contains some incredibly tough choices, where I genuinely struggled to make up my mind. And even when I did make a decision, I spent hours afterward thinking, “Did I make the right call?” Choices I was initially sure I’d make were ultimately influenced enough that I changed my mind.
Unfortunately, there were also a few missteps. For instance, I often wished there were more available choices based on the information my character had at the time. I was particularly surprised by one quest in the third region, where my character could have easily avoided a drama by simply speaking up and sharing the information I had gathered for him. Luckily, these kinds of situations didn’t happen too often.
Some Loose Scraps
- Some of the available dialogue options throughout the game absolutely cracked me up
- Your party members don’t only talk about main quests in camp, but also reflect on your choice during side quests
- Bounties might seem like chores, but don’t skip them: one will actually lead to a very interesting and important side quest
- I would have loved more companion banter while walking around, rather than restricting them to camp
- I’m a sucker for romance in games like these, so it’s a shame our Godlike character doesn’t get the chance to find his Goddess.
Conclusion
Avowed offers an incredibly enjoyable experience set in a stunning, unique game world. The countless weapon combinations tempt you to experiment with different playstyles, keeping the combat fresh and original.
Exploration is always rewarding, not just for the loot, but also for the environmental challenges you’ll need to solve along the way.
The companions are beautifully designed, and their interactions often brought a grin to my face. The fact that only two out of the four companions have dedicated quests felt disappointing, though.
Visually, the game is breathtaking, but some environmental effects feel a bit outdated, such as the lack of footsteps in sand or water that doesn’t react to movement.
