“Pillars of Eternity” Wrapped in “The Outer Worlds” Aesthetic, Shaped Like “The Elder Scrolls.”
This was my immediate impression after getting hands-on with Obsidian’s latest creation, Avowed. Thanks to an invitation from Microsoft, I had the opportunity to play the prologue and about two hours of the main storyline. Alongside the main quests, I thoroughly explored the game’s first map, Dawn’s Bay.
The entire experience was thoroughly enjoyable. The game’s writing retains Obsidian’s signature style, and the combat system greatly exceeded my expectations. My only regret was when the story came to an abrupt halt, leaving me with a “To Be Continued” screen. This alone speaks to the level of quality Avowed already displays. If you’re a fan of Obsidian or classic RPGs, “stay tuned” is the most straightforward recommendation I can give.
Familiar Yet Compelling Storytelling
Transitioning from the traditional isometric CRPG perspective to a first-person view, Avowed brought a new, distinct experience compared to Pillars of Eternity. Set within the same universe, the vibrant world of Eora came to life in a more immersive and three-dimensional way. While the graphics aren’t top-of-the-line, they’re certainly an improvement over The Outer Worlds, and the world-building is impressively detailed.
In Dawn’s Bay, the juxtaposition of dwarven fortresses against rugged mountains, or the majestic splendor of the city of Heavens and its sprawling shantytowns, creates visually striking environments. These carefully crafted scenes provided a sense of immersion that felt very different from Pillars of Eternity.
The prologue cast me as a Godborn, an envoy of the Aedyr Empire tasked with investigating a soul plague spreading through the Heavens. However, my ship was wrecked en route, stranding me in an unfamiliar location. I soon befriended new companions, fought in several battles, and finally reached Dawn’s Bay. At this point, Obsidian’s intricate narrative began to unfold.
The role-playing and narrative in Avowed are quintessentially Obsidian: lengthy static dialogues, clever and humorous writing, and dialogue options unlocked based on your character’s background and stats. While I only experienced the beginning, the quality of the dialogue, writing, and translation were consistently excellent. Companion characterization was particularly strong, and their witty, flowing exchanges made even long dialogues enjoyable.
The main storyline in the early stages had a tight, engaging pace. After a series of events that eventually brought me to the Heavens, the demo concluded on a shocking twist, leaving me eager to see how the story would develop. The only drawback was the side quests in Dawn’s Bay, which mostly felt like mundane errands with little appeal beyond the rewards. However, since I had yet to fully explore the Heavens, it’s possible more engaging quests await in the later stages. With the rich lore established in the Pillars of Eternity series, there’s much to anticipate in Avowed’s story.
A Surprisingly Refreshing Combat and Progression System
Before playing Avowed, I expected the combat system to be serviceable at best—good enough to support the narrative. To my surprise, the combat and progression mechanics turned out to be a major highlight. Shifting to first-person combat akin to The Elder Scrolls, Avowed felt remarkably smooth. The combat was as engaging as any top-tier title in the genre and marked a notable step up from Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds.
Compared to Pillars of Eternity, Avowed radically overhauls character progression. There are only three base classes—Warrior, Ranger, and Mage. While the class count has been reduced, players can freely learn abilities from all three, creating a wide variety of combinations when paired with different weapons.
For example, early in the game, I combined Mage abilities with Ranger’s Vine Snare. When facing a tough single enemy, I would root it in place with the vines and unleash a barrage of spells. Alternatively, I could wield a melee weapon, freeze enemies with a Frost Ray, and then finish them off up close.
The game features a rich arsenal of weapons, from daggers and spears to massive two-handed axes and hammers, as well as ranged options like muskets and wands. Each weapon type has unique attack patterns and charge effects. You can wield a sword in one hand and an axe in the other or combine a wand with a spear. Most weapons, especially two-handed ones, have excellent hit feedback, with impactful animations that make combat feel satisfying.
Players can also equip two weapon sets and switch between them mid-combat. During my playthrough, I used a sword-and-shield combo alongside a wand-and-spellbook setup. My typical strategy was to stealthily take out one enemy, hurl a fireball at the rest, and then switch to melee for chaotic brawling. This flexibility in weapon combinations breaks the constraints of traditional RPG class roles, introducing fresh possibilities even for seasoned CRPG players.
Spellbooks, in particular, add an intriguing layer to the gameplay. There are two ways to cast spells: by unlocking abilities through leveling or by using spellbooks, each containing unique spells. As you level up, you can even integrate certain spells from the books into your character’s skill set.
Challenging Yet Rewarding Combat
Despite the diverse abilities, combat in Avowed is far from easy. Even on normal difficulty, early-game enemies could take me down in just a few hits. Characters have the ability to revive once after death, restoring a portion of their health, but sudden deaths were still common. This level of difficulty can be a double-edged sword—it encourages players to experiment with different strategies but might also push them toward the most optimal builds. For now, my experience leaned toward the former, but how well the balance holds in the full game remains to be seen.
Enjoyable Exploration
Outside the main storyline, I spent time thoroughly exploring Dawn’s Bay. The map is seamless and packed with hidden treasures. In addition to side quests, players can discover fortresses, dungeons, and temples, often concealed behind puzzles. These puzzles are moderately challenging and rewarding, requiring players to break barriers with explosives, freeze surfaces with magic, or dive underwater to uncover hidden caves. The rewards for solving them are substantial.
Avowed also makes exploration convenient. Players can teleport to camps for healing and choose to return to their last position or the camp afterward, eliminating tedious backtracking. However, the variety of enemies in Dawn’s Bay felt limited, with bears, lizardfolk, spiders, ghosts, and human bandits making up the majority. Fortunately, the diverse combat options helped offset this shortcoming, allowing me to approach encounters in many different ways.
Conclusion
Based on the demo, Avowed delivers on Obsidian’s reputation for exceptional storytelling. Its combat and progression systems were an unexpected delight, providing hours of smooth and engaging gameplay. If the quality remains consistent throughout the full game, Avowed has the potential to surpass The Outer Worlds and become another standout RPG in Obsidian’s portfolio.
