Avowed’s Background Choices: Freedom or Flaw?

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In many modern role-playing games (RPGs) with substantial budgets, you find comprehensive character creation systems, and that’s true for Obsidian Entertainment and Xbox Game Studios’ latest fantasy RPG, Avowed. This game allows players to extensively personalize the appearance of the envoy they control. When starting up Avowed, players can select their character’s gender, body shape, hairstyle, facial characteristics, and skin tone from a variety of options. They have the freedom to customize almost everything, ranging from the breadth of their character’s nose to the warmth of their skin color.

Beyond customizing their characters’ looks, Avowed offers me the chance to select a distinctive backstory for my character as well. In Avowed, a character’s backstory dictates their origin, offers exclusive conversation options that can be utilized throughout the game, and grants starting weapons, along with a unique set of attributes. What sets Avowed’s approach to backstories apart from other popular RPGs is quite remarkable – it deeply impacts the narrative progression and character development over the course of the game, unlike many other games in this genre where backstory primarily serves as flavor text.

Unlike Other RPGs, the Backgrounds in Avowed Are Not That Restrictive

Avowed’s Backgrounds Determine a Character’s Optimal Playstyle and Starting Attributes

In the game Avowed, there are a total of five distinct character backgrounds: Arcane Scholar, Court Auguer, Noble Scion, Vanguard Scout, and War Hero. Each of these backgrounds is optimized for a particular playstyle. For example, the Arcane Scholar is ideal for players who wish to portray a wizard, casting spells with magic wands in combat. Conversely, the Noble Scion caters more towards melee and hybrid builds that combine both melee and magical abilities, while the Vanguard Scout is tailored to gamers who enjoy using ranged weapons during battle.

Each character’s background significantly influences their fighting technique, especially for a Vanguard Scout. This specific background gives the player’s character an initial advantage in Perception (which enhances critical hit probability and accuracy when aiming at distant targets), as well as two starting points in both Dexterity and Constitution attributes.

Character’s nimbleness (Dexterity) boosts their action, attack, and reloading pace, while their toughness (Constitution) enhances their resistance against detrimental conditions such as being Poisoned or Bleeding.

Players Can Access All Equipment and Abilities in Avowed No Matter What Background They Choose

In the game Avowed, the detailed backdrops might make it challenging for some players to select the ideal one for their character. However, the choice doesn’t significantly impact the gameplay, as the backgrounds in Avowed are less restrictive compared to those in other RPGs with similar characteristics. Players can acquire all the gear and skills in the game regardless of their character’s chosen background. On one hand, this design choice is appealing; on the other, it carries a bit of a risk, as it may lead to less immersion for players who prefer games where choices have more impact.

Avowed’s Approach to Backgrounds Has Some Major Pros and Cons

Avowed’s design for backgrounds caters exceptionally well to individuals seeking games with minimal time commitment. Time-constrained gamers might not have the luxury to replay a game multiple times to unlock all its content, regardless of quality. The freedom from being locked into a particular playstyle due to an early choice made in the game can be a significant draw for these players, as it offers them flexibility they may otherwise miss out on.

In essence, the relatively minor influence that character backgrounds in the game Avowed can present may pose some issues. If players are granted immediate access to all the game’s features and abilities, there wouldn’t be much reason for them to replay the game later on. This could significantly lower Avowed‘s potential for repeat play, potentially making it less enduring compared to other deep, choice-driven fantasy RPGs such as Baldur’s Gate 3. Players who seek a more traditional RPG experience might find Avowed‘s more flexible approach to backgrounds less appealing, but those who enjoy swiftly switching combat strategies might appreciate it.

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2025-02-21 00:19