8) Avowed (2025)

In 2018, Obsidian Entertainment began working on what would eventually become Avowed, though the early iteration of the game was vastly different. Originally planned as an online multiplayer game, leadership at the company, looking to sell, pitched it to potential buyers as a mix between Skyrim and Destiny. Microsoft bought Obsidian that year, but by 2020, had cut the multiplayer aspects from the game entirely, focusing on a single player narrative experience. It wasn't until the game was first announced later that year that two major changes were implemented, setting the game in the world of Eora, connecting it the Pillars of Eternity games, and ditching a fully open world in favor of open world zones. Under normal circumstances, all of this sounds like a recipe for disaster. Surprisingly, not only is the game cohesive, it's actually an incredibly fun experience with some top notch writing.

The player takes on the role of the Envoy, sent from the Aedyr Empire to investigate a mysterious plague known as the "Dream Scourge" in an area known as the Living Lands. The Envoy is what's known as a godlike, a person who was blessed before birth by one of the gods and, as such, often takes on characteristics of that god or their domain. In our case, it means they're covered in mushrooms, which instantly mark them for what they are. Perhaps knowing that players might not want to play as some weird, fungal person, the player is given the option to toggle these features in character creation. This is only for the player's benefit though, as characters still react as though you have them, which in my opinion, makes it all the funnier.

The game is played in either the first or third person, but, much like The Elder Scrolls games, I can't imagine trying to play in third person. There are three distinct facets of gameplay, exploration, dialogue, and combat. Exploration, whether it be in the wild or in a town or city, is fun and engaging. There are plenty of secrets to find, and its easy to see something in the distance and decide that you need to go investigate. You're rewarded for exploration, often with unique weapons or treasure, or with fun and interesting lore. Dialogue is your traditional Elder Scrolls or Fallout affair, though I will say that I enjoyed the writing and options far more. It helps that the Envoy isn't voiced, allowing for a wider range of dialogue options and allowing you to decide how they may sound. At character creation, you choose a background for your Envoy, and I was surprised how often I was given unique dialogue options as a result. Choosing to be a War Hero, I was often presented with the option of just silently staring into the middle distance, likely meant to show how stoic or traumatized they were, but I took it as my character simply not caring and wishing everyone would simply get to the point.

Combat is where I feel Avowed really stands out. There are a variety of weapons to choose from, whether it be swords, axes, guns, spells, or daggers, and all play differently enough that there is merit to all of them. Of course, in games such as this, when given the option, I like to go in with my bare hands. In this aspect, I feel as though I need to give the game special praise. In other games, it usually feels as though hand to hand combat is, at best, a concession. Something tacked on for when you run out of ammo, have a weapon break or knocked from your hand, or for the obligatory prison break sequence. Avowed has a hand to hand combat system that not only feels as though it was carefully crafted and executed, but is a genuine delight to utilize. My only issue is that I really wish humanoid enemies would react more realistically. If someone shows up to a gunfight with his fists, you should laugh. If he walks away from a gunfight with his fists, you should run.

On your journey, you'll meet and be accompanied by a handful of companions, of which you can travel with any combination of two at once. They're all pretty well written, with there own personal agendas and roles in combat. I feel as though your mileage with them will vary depending on your playstyle and preferences. Being a dumb punchy boy led me to spend more time traveling with the spellcasters, who would either not get in my way, or would help heal and buff me. Of note, because it was an odd point of contention before release, there are no romances in the traditional sense. For whatever reason, I mostly blame Dragon Age and Mass Effect, people expect romance questlines and simulated boning in games like this. The developers, I feel wisely, chose not to do this. You can have your character develop a relationship with a companion, but it's not a clear path to it, there are no achievements, and it feels more like an actual relationship.

The story is on the shorter side, but I was surprised at how much my choices impacted things. There are a few times where it's obvious when your choice will have a big impact, but there are many small moments that had far larger consequences than I imagined. Honestly, one of the things that made me fall in love with Obsidian back when I played Fallout: New Vegas, is how they will absolutely allow you to screw up and have characters be completely baffled by your logic or lack thereof. Without spoiling too much, there was a moment in the story where I felt kind of bad about what had happened, only to learn that it was indeed my fault because it NOT happening was valid outcome. Since I made the choice to roleplay as an idiot, I adore the idea that the developers delivered a fuck around and find out moment.

On the negative side of things, I will concede that a few nitpicks stand out to me. I feel you are bombarded with unique weapons and armor, especially if you do any amount of exploration. It got to the point where even the hoarder in me had had enough and I started selling or breaking down unique items, which I normally consider to be akin to a war crime. You can also simply upgrade common weapons and armor, and thus I wore a set of armor I got early on throughout the game, though I think that's less of a complaint toward the upgrade system and more about the quality of unique items. Also on the negative side, while I usually don't mind when NPCs wander or stand around aimlessly, it really does stick out here.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed my time with Avowed. The locations are large, beautiful, and varied; the writing and voice acting are top tier; combat is varied, yet fast and responsive; and by setting the game in a pre-existing world, the lore is complex and rich if you want to dig into it. Despite the awkward development cycle, the team at Obsidian were able to create a fun and engaging experience that, while it can absorb the player, it ultimately won't take up too much of your time, as it comes in around the 25 hour mark. If you have Game Pass, this is an absolute no brainer, but is otherwise well worth your time and money.