As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt and a soft spot for CRPGs, the announcement of Avowed at this year’s Gamescom has me more than just a little excited. I mean, who wouldn’t be? It’s Obsidian Entertainment we’re talking about here – the masters of story-driven, choice-filled RPGs that leave us pondering for days on end. Admittedly, I haven’t dived into the world of Eora through Pillars of Eternity yet, but if Avowed is anything like its predecessors, it might just be the push I need to finally explore that corner of my Steam library.
Among the first-party games Xbox presented at this year’s Gamescom, the one that catches our attention at RPG Site is Avowed, the upcoming role-playing game by Obsidian Entertainment, renowned for their work in the genre. This new title takes place in the world of Eora and shares connections with the Pillars of Eternity series. However, Obsidian reassures us that the game will be friendly to those who are not yet familiar with the series.
I’m a fan of several Obsidian titles already, but admittedly, I haven’t yet made the time to check out either entry of Pillars of Eternity myself. I enjoy CRPG-style games, so that’s not a concern, and Bryan’s glowing review of Deadfire piqued my interest years ago. But actually sitting down and getting a chance to play through Avowed’s enjoyable Gamescom demo may finally push me to boot up those titles that have been sitting dormant in my Steam library.
The demo of Avowed at Gamescom sees the player character and Aumaua companion Kai (voiced by Brandon Keener, known for Garrus Vakarian in Mass Effect) head into a cavern to seek a missing expedition team, which takes place relatively early in the game. Three player builds were available: a melee ‘barbarian’ warrior type, a dual-pistol-wielding ranged type, and a magic “blood mage”. In the time allotted, I had the chance to check out the melee and ranged builds, but not the magic one.
The game appears more visually appealing than I initially anticipated, boasting a lively color scheme that blends greens, blues, and reddish hues with effective lighting. Its art style leans towards a slightly stylized aesthetic rather than high-definition realism, and I found it relatively easy to get accustomed to. However, certain aspects of the user interface could benefit from minor tweaks according to my preferences. With time for refinement before its release, there may be adjustments made to the player’s options in the final version of the game.
You explore a partially submerged, forested cavern from a first-person perspective, encountering several hostile Xaurip lizards and other local creatures. The combat is primarily divided into main-hand and secondary attacks, with your actions being limited by a stamina gauge that determines when you can act.
Engaging in close-quarters combat can often be quite unpredictable since opponents might strike from various angles. At times, Kai would call out warnings like “Look out on your right!” to help me anticipate enemy attacks during our battles.
In this scenario, the ranged class offered a slightly polished experience since it allowed for a quicker retreat from the turmoil, enabling a strategic approach to battles from a distance, thereby maintaining a clearer view of the battlefield.
After delving around for a while, I stumbled upon a solitary member from the team, a young individual who had been poisoned and pleaded for aid. Occasionally, Kai joined our conversation, but there was no clear sign of him being my “approved companion” as often depicted in such games.
Delving deeper into the cavern’s depths, I stumbled upon an unusual settlement, adorned with a colossal statue towering several stories high. It was here that I encountered the solitary figure of Sargamis, a resplendent divine emissary, seemingly forged from gold itself.
As a devoted fan, I found my conversation with Saragmis brimming with unfamiliar terms like ‘Godlikes’ and ‘The Wheel’, set in places such as Deadfire and Ukaizo, while referencing gods like Eothas. If I had started playing Avowed from the very beginning, I might have navigated the jargon more effortlessly. However, being thrown into the deep end was a bit overwhelming with all the lore and terminology coming at me so rapidly. Thankfully, there’s an in-game codex system that allows you to highlight specific words and phrases during dialogue for a quick, handy explanation of their meaning.
As I navigated the intricate network of woodland caves, I noticed that it wasn’t just a straightforward path or an expansive open space. Instead, it was more like a series of interconnected rooms, each offering tantalizing glimpses of hidden treasures – containers, chests, or other intriguing objects – through narrow cracks or across chasms. I found myself exploring every nook and cranny to find my way towards these enticing sights. This often required me to locate a weak wall to breakthrough, discover an old, forgotten gate to open, or even engage in some basic first-person jumping puzzles before I could finally reach my goal.
Based on reports from Obsidian representatives at the scene, locating the exploration team during the demonstration wasn’t always possible for players, and in fact, many demo participants failed to find them, even though their discovery was initially intended to be the primary goal of the mission.
Experiencing the diverse playstyles among the characters, the multiple decision points in the quests, and the well-executed battle sequences, this demo was practically perfect for showcasing an RPG like Avowed. Fingers crossed that the deeper narrative, character development, and progression will make Avowed a captivating RPG when it’s released next year.
Avowed is set to release on February 18, 2025.
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2024-08-25 13:25