Summary
The Outer WorldsandPillars of Eternitydeveloper Obsidian Entertainment’s upcoming game,Avowed, is a fantasy RPG with a lot of ambition. At first, it set out to be something more akin toThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. However, Obsidian chose to pull on the reins a bit and back down on its scale. Still,Avowedhas the potential to be a sizable experience, and not just according to the square footage of its map.
Avowedhas already had plenty of features confirmed for it, most of which are fairly typical for an Obsidian game. These features include classic characteristics of Obsidian Entertainment androle-playing gamesalike, like character creation, choice-driven content, and companion characters.
Every Feature Confirmed for Avowed So Far
Avowed Is Set in Pillars of Eternity’s World of Eora
At the heart ofAvowed’s world is Obsidian’sPillars of Eternityseries. UnlikeThe Outer Worlds,Avowedis set in the same universe asPillars of Eternity— the world of Eora, in particular. InAvowed, players will control an envoy from the Aedyr Empire who has been sent to Eora’s Living Lands to investigate a mysterious plague. While there, they will be given plenty of opportunities to explore, fight unique enemies, gain new friends, and discover the many secrets of the Living Lands.
Players Can Create Either a Human or Elf Character in Avowed
Role-playing enthusiasts should enjoy getting to create their own character inAvowed. Unfortunately,Avowed’s character creator comes with a surprising restriction. Specifically, players can only create a Human or an Elf character, due to the player character originating from the Aedyr Empire, which consists of Humans and Elves. Nevertheless,Avowedplayers will still get to travel the world of Eora with a character of their own making.
Avowed Features a Robust Combat System Suitable for Diverse Playstyles
WhileAvowed’s choice-driven story and companion system are both standout features, the game’s combat system is also one of its highlights. Much likeThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, players will not be locked into one class or playstyle. Instead, they will be given the option of choosing between a wide variety of skills that will benefit them in combat, no matter which playstyle they prefer. In fact,Avowed’s combat optionsare diverse enough to accommodate multiple playstyles in the way of allowing players to mix and match weapons to suit their needs.
Included in the list ofAvowed’s weapons are wands, swords, pistols, bows, and likely several more, so players have plenty of different playstyles to experiment with as they explore the world ofAvowed.
Choices Matter in Avowed
Obsidian has confirmed on multiple occasions thatAvowed’s narrative and side stories will be driven by player choice. Players will regularly engage in dialogue with NPCs where they will be faced with making pivotal decisions that ultimately affect each story’s direction. Obsidian has also confirmed on account of this thatAvowedwill have multiple endings, just likeThe Outer Worldsdid.
Players Can Recruit Various Companions in Avowed
As per usual with Obsidian games,Avowedhas a companion system that will allow players to recruit several companions as they progress through the game’s story. However, also as per usual with Obsidian games,Avowed’s companions are not romanceable. Obsidian has confirmed this is largely due to the complexities that romance requires in a game’s coding, as well as budget constraints.
There are certainly plenty of things to be excited about when it comes to Obsidian’s next big IP.Avowedmay just be fantasyOuter Worlds, especially considering how similar its features are to a typical Obsidian game. Even so, it may not need to be anything more than that, as it seems it will still offer an original experience that will set it apart from others.
