As a seasoned adventurer with countless tales of dungeons delved and dragons slain under my belt, I must admit that my initial skepticism regarding Avowed was somewhat justified. The combat left me yearning for a more tangible impact on my foes, and the wave-based boss encounters were a tad disorienting. However, it’s clear that Obsidian Entertainment is still refining their craft, and I’m excited to see how they polish these aspects in the coming months.
Playing Avowed at gamescom primarily ignited a spirit of exploration within me. At first, the experience was somewhat disjointed – my character moved too swiftly and felt somewhat weightless, which didn’t sit well with me given my usual preference for third-person perspective in RPGs. However, as I became accustomed to the fluidity of movement during climbing and jumping sequences, and realized that these initial areas offered multiple problem-solving solutions tailored to my playstyle, a connection was made.
While exploring every hidden corner of an old, fallen temple, I sought a mystical artifact. I found it lying on the altar, naturally stirring its protector. I battled swarms of skeletons, navigated through flooded hallways using root bridges – and a peculiar sensation began to grow within me. It was as if I had morphed into Indiana Jones during a briefing for an Indiana Jones game!
Pillars of Talking
In simpler terms, my experience with Pillars of Eternity thus far could be described as “a love-hate relationship.” The world it presents is unique, intriguing, and somewhat bizarre, but its creators seem to share every detail about it, making the player feel inundated with information about factions, battles, deities, civilizations, and geographical features. For avid readers like me who tend to delve into every detail in RPGs, there’s a high chance that Pillars of Eternity might curb this habit due to the overwhelming amount of information provided.
The captivating storyline of the initial game was overwhelmed by an endless wave of excessive world development; I found it hard to connect with the characters, who seemed more like symbols of various factions than fully developed individuals. Despite not venturing into the sequel, given my disinterest in pirate motifs, I still held curiosity towards the realm of Eora.
In Avowed, we’re fortunate that the developers can no longer burden us with extensive descriptions of every intricate detail in their world – instead, they must visually demonstrate it to us. And what a sight it is! Everything looks fantastic!
Obsidian Entertainment
At Gamescom, we were shown a section of the game that unfolds within a temple complex carved into rock, effortlessly blending into caves (some filled with water where you have to swim), wrecked laboratories brimming with strange, quasi-magical equipment, deserted libraries, and enormous statues. The entire scene is covered in lush greenery and colorful colonies of fungi in various forms. Avowed offers breathtaking vistas and vibrant hues, enticing players with a blend of familiar and extraordinary fantasy elements, as well as frequent appearances of fungi in unusual locations.
Lore? Check
For devoted fans out there (including Przemek in our office), here’s some exciting news: it appears our journey isn’t over just yet. Mortals and gods continue to intertwine, as I discovered during my adventure in Avowed. My initial quest was to locate a missing Aedyran expedition, but upon tracing its path, I stumbled upon Sargamis – an extraordinary figure with golden skin and the captivating voice of Matthew Mercer. Interestingly, Sargamis showed great interest in the topic of godlikes and divine nature.
Obsidian Entertainment
As a devoted admirer, I’m thrilled that our protagonist swiftly uncovers a deeply personal motivation to embark on the main journey. This added layer of intimacy makes the narrative not just about gods, plagues, and enigmatic mysteries, but also about an individual’s struggle and growth, which I believe will make the story even more engaging and relatable.
In Avowed, you won’t necessarily require prior knowledge about the lore of Pillars to play. However, a brand-new player in this universe might find themselves a bit bewildered at first. But fret not! Similar to Tyranny, there will be an option to glean extra information by highlighting specific keywords within the dialogue, which can help fill in the blanks for newcomers.
What about our Watcher?
If their power was similar to mine, it’s plausible that the Deadfire events didn’t turn out favorably for them. When queried about this, Carrie Patel chuckled and stated that it’s more of a personal interpretation – “if you believe he journeyed towards the sunset, then that’s what transpired. Perhaps Eothas shielded him?”
Quality, not quantity
As a fan, I’ve noticed a shift in scale, particularly with the number of companions. Initially, there was an option to interact with one, but eventually, it appears there will only be four. This might seem minimal compared to the eleven in the first Pillars or the usual six in most RPGs. However, given I can’t remember a single companion from the first game, perhaps this time the developers are prioritizing quality over quantity. If Kai, our first companion, is any indication of what’s to come, we’re in for a treat!
I wasn’t initially anticipating to grow fond of Kai so swiftly. The blue-skinned, yellow-eyed aumaua with formidable shark-like teeth soon transitioned from being just my starting companion into a cherished friend, who never failed to contribute something interesting. A significant part of this bond can be attributed to the exceptional voice acting skills of Brandon Keener, whom we’re all familiar with from his iconic role as Garrus in the Mass Effect trilogy. Interestingly, the “Vakarian vibe” wasn’t entirely intended.
In creating our party character, we weren’t directly influenced by Garrus, but we appreciated his stoic, pragmatic viewpoint and found it beneficial to have a dependable figure in the mix. It was an unexpected delight when Brandon Keener auditioned for the role. His presence immediately resonated with us – he could carry that same vibe, that dry wit, just like we envisioned!
As I delve deeper into the world of Kai, I uncover more about his past and the secrets he carries. It becomes clear that beneath his tough exterior lies a heart filled with remorse and an acute understanding of what it means to be human.
Obsidian Entertainment
In discussing the topic of companions, it’s worth mentioning that scenarios similar to those in PoE 2 are set to reappear. These involve our party members forming connections not only with the player’s character but also among themselves. Developer Carrie has shared that an engaging “party banter” system has been designed, which will play out during camp rest periods; companions are expected to chime in on our discussions and provide feedback, sometimes quite forcefully, on our choices. This suggests that we’ll need to make decisions that will have a substantial impact on our companions and their respective groups. The promise here is that we may finally experience the feeling of being part of a dynamic, interconnected group driven by shared purpose, rather than mere cardboard cut-outs.
As a dedicated fan, I’m thrilled to share that the remaining members of our party are brought to life by some familiar voices. Anjali Bhimani, who many may recognize from her roles in Critical Role and Symmetra from Overwatch, joins us. Also, Scott Whyte, renowned for his work as Rathma in Diablo IV, is part of our group. Lastly, Mara Junot, known for her roles as Ikora Rey in Destiny 2 and Alleria Windrunner in World of Warcraft, completes our team.
Absolutely, these allies of ours serve multiple purposes – they offer guidance, engage in battles with us, and even aid us beyond combat scenarios. By pressing LT, we bring up a wheel-like menu that allows us to instruct our ally to attack a selected target or employ a skill. This skill is useful not only during fights but also in other situations, such as when Kai’s fiery volley burned away the cobwebs obstructing my path; with a different character build, I might have managed it myself, but the abilities of our companions certainly add versatility to our strategic choices.
Combat is not Avowed’s strongest point
As a gamer diving into Avowed, I opted for the barbarian build in the demo, thinking it would be the most manageable for combat. However, as I delved deeper, I began to question my choice, especially during open battles. Despite noticeable progress since the initial stages, the impact of my two-handed weapon swings on opponents feels somewhat intangible. The fight mechanics could use a bit more oomph!
Obsidian Entertainment
It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t examine the remaining builds due to time constraints, instead opting to delve deeper into the storyline as much as possible within the hour provided. To my delight, my character’s rougher traits were reflected in the dialogue choices offered (and those I was unable to choose due to my character’s lack of intelligence). Interestingly, this less-than-bright character was capable of steering conversations in various directions and even altering a quest’s outcome by selecting thoughtful replies.
Are these mushrooms edible?
Earlier, I shared that I was using a pre-built character – which unfortunately meant I couldn’t experiment with the character creator. However, upon checking the equipment menu, I found something quite unexpected and exciting: my character sported mushrooms on their head! I was thrilled by this discovery! It’s refreshing to see game creators who aren’t afraid to infuse their universe with a dash of peculiarity, offering us more intriguing options than the usual elf variations. I can’t say for sure which deity bestowed these fungal adornments upon my character, but maybe we’ll uncover that mystery in the main storyline. I was curious to know just how far we could push the boundaries when it comes to customizing our character’s appearance, so I asked Claire about it.
In our game, you’ll find that the characters can be customized with various appearance options such as hairstyles, skin tones, and decorations. However, to underscore our character’s divine nature, which is integral to our lore, we’ve also included godlike features. These can range from extravagant and dramatic, like the mushrooms you mentioned, to more subtle versions. Players who prefer a specific character appearance have the option to “conceal” these godlike traits, although they will still be apparent to others.
In the near future, Obsidian has plans to present a special event focusing on character development. We’ll find out more specifics about it in no time.
Faith restored
Avowed surprised me. This is indeed an RPG that can captivate with well-written dialogues and a fascinating world in which we can finally be, not just read about it. Of course, an hour of gameplay is not enough to fully form an opinion, but it’s enough to rekindle faith in the fact that Obsidian indeed knows what they are doing.
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2024-08-23 16:33