Avowed delivers a great blend of combat, sorcery, and adventure, offering a stand out RPG experience. As a long-time fan of developer Obsidian Entertainment’s work, I was thrilled when they announced afirst-person fantasy adventure connected to the studio’s role-playing legacy. Now, after adventuring through Avowed, I can confidently say it lives up to my expectations. The vibrant world of Eora positively brims with things to see and do. Set in the mysterious Living Lands, the game offers a fresh alternative to traditional fantasy settings.
With its bold art style, dynamic combat system, and deep narrative, Avowed provides a fresh and engaging experience that stands out in the genre. Whether you’re a longtime fan of Obsidian or new to their games, Avowed offers a unique adventure. Let’s dive in and explore all the Living Lands has to offer in my full review.
Avowed Details
Platform(s): Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC
Reviewed on: Xbox Series X
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Genre: First-Person Fantasy RPG
Available game modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)
Author your own story
In Avowed, you play as “Envoy,” a representative dispatched by the nation of Aedyr to the Living Lands on an urgent quest. Your mission is to investigate the “Dreamscourge,” a plague that affects plants, wildlife, and people, turning its victims into aggressive, zombie-like creatures. As you delve deeper into the Living Lands, you’ll uncover supernatural secrets combined with unravelling spiritual and political story threads.
The central narrative is supported by interesting characters and moral choices that influence your story as you go along. The world feels so real that I found myself carefully mulling over decisions, knowing each carries weight and consequences for the next steps of my journey. So much so that I am excited to go back and take different paths in the story to see how things unfold and how the world reacts. At times the story does drag in parts, with extremely long dialogue chains, but it does help with developing aspects of the story. That side, I was further pulled into Obsidian’s world by the struggles of my allies, enemies and environments.
Now, it’s a party
A great story needs a strong supporting cast, and Avowed’s central plot is blostered by companions and NPCs you meet along your journey. You’ll be paired with characters as the game progresses, each bringing distinct abilities and personalities to your party. The first companion you meet up with is Kai, a witty, skilled warrior. I won’t delve further into other companions and their backstories to avoid spoilers, but they do support the plot. The only downside is the lack of customization options offered by companions. Outside of that, they dynamically respond to your decisions and dialogue, offering commendation or dissent based on your actions. You can choose two companions to accompany you on quests, and your choices and interactions will shape these relationships.
Deep character customization
Avowed emphasizes player agency from the outset, offering robust character-creation options. You can design very unique characters, including “godlike” beings with distinctive features that tie into the central narrative. For example, my character build featured wooden horns and fungus eyebrows. This will sometimes factor in with locales responding positively or negatively to you. It’s out there, but it connects with the game’s story and adds something different to the “run-of-the-mill” character-building process found in the RPG genre.
Flexible skill trees
The “classless system” allows for a high level of customization, allowing you to tailor your character’s abilities to suit your playstyle. There is a diverse range of skill trees, including Fighter, Ranger, Wizard, and “Godlike.” The Fighter skill tree emphasizes defence, damage mitigation, two-handed weapons, and mobility. In my first playthrough, I mostly went with the fighter build and developed a high-damage Barbarian wielding massive weapons and high-damage attacks. The flexibility of Avowed’s skill system allowed me to customize my character’s abilities to suit my combat preferences, offering a more enjoyable and unique approach to the gameplay experience.
Visceral combat
The combat in Avowed is an addictive blend of traditional RPG elements and innovative mechanics. Skirmishes with foes are more dynamic, integrating melee and magic, making encounters challenging and more engaging. I had a ton of fun with the game’s dual-wielding combinations. You can pair swords with spells or guns with shields, enabling strategies like freezing enemies before shattering them with a melee strike or attacking from a distance with ranged weapons. This approach allowed me to create a mobile, hard-hitting tank that could absorb damage on the battlefield. In a welcome twist, I could use magic, and other ranged attacks even as a more melee-focus warrior.
A wild, beautiful and weird world to explore
Visually, Avowed is a testament to Obsidian’s commitment to quality world-building. The environments are meticulously crafted, with detailed textures and lighting that bring the Living Lands to life. Character models are well-designed, and the animations are fluid; there is far less “jank” to character movements in comparison to other RPGs. On the Xbox Series X, the game runs smoothly for the most part, but there are framerate drops, especially in more open areas of the world. The performance overall is stable, with minimal loading times in a highly detailed world. Obsidian has stated further optimization will occur post launch, but what is currently here is a visually stunning experience.
Final thoughts on Avowed
Avowed is a testament to Obsidian Entertainment’s prowess in crafting immersive RPG experiences. Its vibrant world, dynamic combat, and story offer longtime fans and newcomers a memorable journey through the Living Lands. The game’s emphasis on player choice, character customization, and meaningful interactions ensures a unique adventure tailored to individual playstyles. While some minor performance issues are present, they do little to detract from the overall experience. Avowed is a must-play title that promises to leave a lasting impression in the realm of fantasy RPGs.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Storyline offers meaningful player choice. | Intermittent frame rate drops in open areas. |
| Dynamic combat system that blends melee and magic seamlessly. | Repetitiveness in melee combat. |
| Stunning visuals and immersive world-building. | Companion management is a little oversimplified. |
Overall assessment of Avowed
Gameplay Experience: 4/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 4/5
Lasting appeal / Replayability: 4.5/5
