Avowed Review

Has Obsidian Entertainment’s latest ambitious project succeeded in delivering on its promises?

After navigating a tumultuous development journey marked by two internal reboots and significant delays, Obsidian Entertainment has successfully brought Avowed to life, with crucial support from Microsoft following the studio’s acquisition. This partnership has allowed Obsidian to release critically acclaimed and original titles such as Pentiment and The Outer Worlds. Thanks to this newfound stability, the studio was able to refine Avowed, ensuring it meets Obsidian’s rigorous standards and providing an immersive, impactful experience.

Now, without further ado, let’s venture into the Living Lands to uncover the potential, numerous strengths, and inevitable flaws of Obsidian’s ambitious new IP.

A Story That Swings Between High Points and Frustrating Missteps

True to Obsidian’s hallmark style, Avowed places a significant emphasis on storytelling and character development, skillfully weaving intricate narratives for both main and secondary characters. The attention to detail in crafting personalities, behaviors, and story arcs is striking. Companions, allies, and enemies consistently surprise the player, injecting unexpected narrative twists that dynamically shape the course of events.

The story begins in a familiar manner: after creating a character using a well-designed editor, players are introduced to the game’s mechanics through a tutorial on a remote island. It’s here that the game’s dialogue system—a staple of Obsidian and classic RPGs—unfolds. Deep and rich with choices, the system is supported by high-quality writing, even in the most basic interactions.

After completing the tutorial, the player is thrust into the vast, politically charged world of the Living Lands, where the narrative centers on investigating the Dream Plague, a mysterious force that distorts both creatures and people while altering the environment in unpredictable ways.

The main flaw in Avowed’s storytelling lies in its inconsistent pacing, which can feel disjointed at times. The game swings from moments of exceptional writing, such as a gripping murder investigation questline that perfectly showcases the narrative depth, to weaker, less impactful segments. In certain areas, the story’s rapid pace undermines its emotional weight, preventing players from forming lasting connections with the characters or the world around them. This flaw is most noticeable in the finale of the second questline, which feels rushed and uninspired.

Thankfully, the narrative picks up in later stages, introducing moral choices that significantly influence both the world and the relationships with key characters. The writing remains consistently strong, and the final three hours of gameplay stand out as the peak of the experience. In this crucial segment, players are faced with two pivotal decisions that not only shape the story’s conclusion but also leave a lasting impact on the game’s world and characters.

Impressive Side Quests

One of Avowed’s standout features is undoubtedly its side quests. Each city, outpost, or explorable area is home to meticulously crafted missions, brimming with rich narrative detail and thoughtful design. These quests reveal captivating, often surprising stories, leading to satisfying conclusions and exclusive reward that meaningfully enhance the character’s development.

Furthermore, the side quests offer a rare opportunity to immerse oneself in the culture and social intricacies of the Living Lands. While not overly abundant, each mission is remarkable for its quality, enhancing the overall gameplay experience and adding meaningful depth to the game’s world.

RPG Mechanics

Avowed doesn’t quite match the level of exploration and interaction freedom that Bethesda and other studios have set in recent years. Instead, the game takes a more streamlined approach, placing greater emphasis on narrative at the expense of environmental interaction and the depth of its world. While this choice is certainly bold, it has sparked considerable criticism from players. Where Avowed does shine is in its dialogue system, which provides a wide range of options that allow players to influence conversations based on their character’s attributes, such as strength, constitution, and intelligence. However, there are moments when the dialogue choices feel restrictive, with only two options often available, which undermines the complexity of interactions and limits the sense of agency.

Another strength of Avowed is its open-ended skill system, free from the constraints of predefined classes. This allows for considerable flexibility in character builds, empowering players to craft unique playstyles. Yet, one of the game’s notable shortcomings is its handling of companion relationships. While these characters are well-developed, their interactions—whether as allies or rivals—fail to significantly influence the course of the story. This feels like a missed opportunity, especially when compared to titles like KOTOR or Dragon Age: Origins, where companion dynamics could lead to betrayals, departures, or shifts in the narrative, deepening the experience in ways that Avowed does not fully explore.

Avowed’s Combat System

Avowed’s combat system stands out by emphasizing equipment quality over character level. Crafting a well-rounded build and strategically utilizing powerful abilities and spells are key to survival. The game world is built around resource gathering to upgrade gear, although merchants offer high-cost alternatives for those seeking quicker solutions.

As a result, builds play a crucial role, with character enhancements having a direct impact on battle outcomes. However, certain design imbalances make specific strategies disproportionately effective. For instance, wielding heavy two-handed weapons combined with robust armor offers a clear advantage. Magic, while integral to the combat experience, can oversimplify encounters—particularly fire and control spells, which are notably powerful. Additionally, explosive items, akin to grenades, add tactical versatility by inflicting debilitating status effects on enemies, solving environmental puzzles, and unlocking hidden pathways.

Unfortunately, companions in combat are largely ineffective. They rarely engage meaningfully in battles, and the absence of customization options for their abilities and equipment severely limits their functionality. This absence of flexibility undermines their potential to provide valuable support during encounters, reducing their role to that of passive observers rather than active participants.

Technical Performance

Obsidian has accomplished a remarkable feat with Avowed, skillfully optimizing the game for Xbox using Unreal Engine 5 to deliver a seamless experience and striking visual impact. On the Xbox Series S, the game stands out for its impressive graphical fidelity, maintaining high-quality visuals while ensuring consistent performance.

The dynamic lighting system plays a pivotal role in enriching the game’s environments, adding depth and greatly enhancing player immersion. This technical accomplishment underscores Obsidian’s mastery in fully leveraging the platform’s capabilities, demonstrating their mastery in creating highly optimized and immersive gaming experiences.

Final Verdict

After a long wait and a significant scaling back of its original vision, it’s safe to say that Obsidian has delivered a solid, albeit restrained, experience with Avowed. The game successfully builds on the developer’s strengths, showcasing a strong combat system, impressive technical optimization, and a world filled with potential. However, despite these solid foundations, there is a sense that Avowed doesn’t fully capitalize on its own promise.

It would be unfair to claim that Obsidian’s efforts completely miss the mark—quite the opposite. The game is undeniably well-crafted. Yet, with greater attention to finer details and a bolder approach, Avowed could have evolved into a far deeper and more memorable experience, fully realizing the considerable potential it undeniably possesses.