‘Avowed’ Is the First Time I Felt Wonder in a First-Person RPG Since 2006 (Review)

Before the rule of Skyrim, RPGs could be colorful. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was one of the first games to truly wow me. A fully explorable open world, packed to the brim with content beyond belief. All playable on my Xbox 360 — loading screens while exploring and all. Since then, it’s been hard not to compare other RPGs to my first love. But, for the first time since 2006, that flicker of wonder and joy has been reignited in my heart. Avowed not only offers some of the best combat in the genre, but its story weaves a complex and intricate web that had me hanging on at every moment.

Lore Nerds Rejoice; ‘Avowed’ has Plenty of It

If Obsidian is great at anything, it’s weaving an interesting and exciting narrative. Much like Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds, Avowed is rich in story and lore. And seeing as they have plenty to work with, due to years of building upon the Pillars of Eternity franchise, they did not disappoint here in the slightest.

Taking place in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, Avowed has plenty of lore to play around with. And for those like myself who are unfamiliar with the CRPG and its bountiful textbooks of lore, don’t fret. Avowed has taken a page from Final Fantasy XVI and gives players the chance to learn more about its lands amid a conversation. With a simple button press, I could learn what a particular phrase was about, or learn more concerning the locations I was soon to find myself in.

While Avowed is not a fully seamless open world, I wasn’t too upset by that fact. I could return to specific locations quickly enough, and I was always ready to move on to the next location. It’s both linear in its approach, while also encouraging exploration whenever possible. I always knew when it was time to move on to the next spot, and I was eager to see what was right around the corner every time.

Taking Advantage Of Party Camps Could Give Me More Insight Into My Crew And The Story

As a Godlike, I was someone touched by a higher being. However, this leads to my character having a rather… unique appearance, to say the least. During the character creation, I could display my horrifying disfigurations, but I decided for my first playthrough, I would be a little more handsome. During my next one, however? It’s a free game as to how terrifying I can appear. Even without these visuals turned on, NPCs would comment on my appearance, and that’s why I’m glad that my companions view me as nothing more than a friend. They don’t ever judge.

Stepping into the role of the Envoy of the Emperor, it’s my responsibility to discover what is causing the sudden cases of Dreamscourge within the Living Lands. The story, intertwined between companion conversations back at camp and doled out in regular intervals, is very interesting and intriguing. It’s been a while since a story in a game like this has had me so captivated. Partially because the visual language of the land also shows how quickly this plague has ravaged the lands.

‘Avowed’ Uses Unreal Engine 5 To Bring Its Beautiful World to Life in Exquisite Detail

When I first heard that Avowed was going to be using Unreal Engine 5, I was terrified. Seeing how some titles have experienced terrible stutters and framerate fluctuations, I felt that Avowed may have been a terror to experience. I couldn’t have been more wrong, regardless of the graphics mode that I decided to play on. The majority of my playthrough was spent in Quality mode, with a 30FPS cap that I didn’t notice fluctuate once. However, I did experiment with the Performance mode, and its 60FPS was immediately apparent. In a game as beautiful as this, however? I wanted to see it in all its glory.

And I’m genuinely glad that I kept it in Quality mode. Avowed is visually stunning, with biomes that range from surrealist and organic, to bone dry and dusty. Different enemies, different crafting items, and items of varying quality are in each specific biome, and Avowed wants you to take your time exploring them. There is plenty of content in each of the zones, and since the game didn’t level scale with me, I needed to determine when I was ready to move on to the next area. I would struggle with battles, only to discover that it was because of the lack of quality gear that I had. And while I could try to just smack my way through these enemies, I would learn that the effort was typically in vain.

‘Avowed’ Wants You TO Take It Slow, ANd I’m More Than Fine With That

Making progress in Avowed can be taken at any pace that I would like. I could try and rush through the zones, but the game is better savored slowly. Explore the zones, speak with NPCs, and obtain new quests and bounties. No matter where I found myself within the world of Avowed, there was always something to do. There are always sights to see, and ways that you can interact with your companions and learn more about them. And it’s all rendered in beautiful 4K quality.

Every zone of Avowed is filled with jaw-dropping detail. Certain portions of the game had me stopping in my tracks and just soaking in how everything looked. I’m glad that we’re finally moving back to fantasy worlds that aren’t just defined by different shades of gray. The Living Lands are exactly that: alive, vibrant, and full of plenty of eye-catching sights.

Animations Are Stellar in Both Third Person and First Person Modes in ‘Avowed’

One thing that has always made me angry with those games, even back when my love for Oblivion was at an all-time high, was the stiff third-person modes. Exploring the world of Cyrodiil was one of my favorite parts of the game, but seeing my character move like a cardboard cutout was always jarring, even back then. Avowed, on the other hand, looks fantastic in motion. This doesn’t matter if I was playing in first-person or third-person, every motion was smooth, responsive, and as I expected.

What impressed me the most, however, was how excellent combat felt. Regardless if I was using a rifle, a bow, or slashing through foes with melee weapons, I could feel every impact. During initial previews for Avowed, it looked like the combat was nearly weightless and floaty. But the final product delivers some of the most satisfying combat encounters I’ve had since Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. Combining magic abilities with physical strength makes every battle feel unique. Bosses, especially, are thrilling to face off against and require not only brute strength but also proper cunning.

Facing off against foes inflicted with the Dreamscourge, on the other hand, is terrifying. These disgusting amalgamation of flesh and nature are disgusting to look at, and just as horrifying to fight. They’re always willing to do whatever is necessary to bring the Godlike to an end, and these battles were some of the highlights of the game. Even when I thought I was outnumbered, I could find a way to use both might and magic to my advantage and change the tide quickly.

Companions Are Actually Incredibly Useful in ‘Avowed’, and Make Themselves Known in Combat

At first, the thought of having companions by my side wherever I went in Avowed sounded… not exactly great. I wanted to be a lone wolf, as I have been in many other RPGs of the same vein. However, after seeing what my crew was capable of, I couldn’t imagine this adventure without them. Every companion has plenty to offer, with some being more brains than brawn, and others being the exact opposite. No matter who I brought into the battle with me, however, they were endlessly useful.

During any battle, I could pause and select any of their skills. They were also intelligent enough to use them without my command, targeting enemies who were looking to bring my life to an end. They genuinely add to the frantic combat, rather than detract from it.

But as I learned which companions suited my playstyle, I continued dumping attribute points into them alongside myself to make us into unstoppable machines. The amount of customization I could do between the non-traditional classes to make a warrior of my own volition was intimidating at first, but I quickly learned exactly what I wanted to be.

Great Dialogue Options Make Your Choices Matter in ‘Avowed’

Avowed also puts some incredibly heavy choices on your shoulders. As someone touched by the Gods, it was up to me to determine the fates of many different folks. Questions I should never have to be asked were, and I had to make some very significant choices. And these choices do have consequences, be it lives or well-being.

Dialogue is incredibly well-written, and I never found myself skipping over it to get to the next big thing. I wanted to soak in every part of the world, the lore, and the dialogue to ensure I was getting the most out of my time in Avowed. And I’m glad that I didn’t, because some of the choices I received for retorts were hilarious. Some were offensive and nasty, and others would keep me in that happy middle ground.

It’s a game that lets you be as much of an asshole as you’d like, or as friendly as you could ever be. There are plenty of choices to make, and depending on who you’re talking to, they may remember what you’ve done in the past. Be careful how you choose to talk to some of these characters.

it Wowed Me More Than I Could Have Ever Anticipated

Without a doubt, in my eyes at least, Avowed is the greatest game Obsidian Entertainment has made to date. Weaving a complex narrative with astonishingly good visuals and excellent combat has made this one worth waiting for.

It’s been a long time since I have been this captivated by a first-person RPG. Honestly, it’s been nearly 20 years since I’ve been this enthralled by basically any RPG, period. Many games have come and gone in the genre, with only a few leaving a lasting impression. Avowed is one of those games that is going to linger in my mind for quite some time — and one I will happily revisit for many years to come.

Obsidian rarely misses, but this is a tremendous accomplishment they should wear proudly on their sashes. Avowed is unique enough to stand out in a crowded genre and is a game that deserves its roses.

Verdict: Highly Recommended

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Avowed is available now in Early Access, and will be available on February 18, 2025, on Xbox Series X|S and PC. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on Xbox Series X.