After spending four hours in Avowed, I am happy to say that Obsidian has done a great job crafting a whimsical fantasy RPG that plays true to the studio’s best strengths. Its writing is brilliant, its world-building is captivating and I can’t fault the combat system. It provided enough freedom for me to become a sword-wielding sorcerer who could toss out lighting in one hand while slicing enemies apart with my sword in the other.
Awoved feels like it knows who it is. The game kicks off as the envoy to the king is sent across the ocean to investigate a deadly plague that has taken hold of the Living Lands. The plague is causing people to have nightmares and spin into crazed lunatics with a hunger for violence. At the same time, it has warped the environment and the creatures. It spreads and looks sort of like the Scarlet Rot from Elden Ring.
I created a character using the limited character creator. This was only limited to the test build. In Avowed, you’ll then play a classless character who can truly dive into whatever profession they wish. Be this with a two-handed hammer, a bow, one or two daggers or my favourite – magic.
Spellbooks grant spells to use with or without magic knowledge. However, investing points into the magic skill tree makes these spells available without having to equip that specific spellbook. So you’re sorta learning the spell to rely less on the literature and more on the execution. I loved this idea and thought it played into the world of sorcery quite well. Because why have books in the world that don’t grant knowledge on a subject?
Combat then relies on executing the spells, slashing your sword around, pummelling the hammer and stab-stab-ing the daggers. It feels excellent too. Double tapping the crouch button let me dodge in the direction of the analogue which is also vital to avoiding spear-chucking overgrown lizards who love spamming ranged attacks in the distance.
Enemies also have stun bars. Once it is filled up, they are stunned and I could perform finisher attacks to deal massive damage to them. Of course, enemies can be burnt, frozen and shocked which all offer various debuffs and advantages. Freezing a large mushroom-infected bear right before it performed an unblockable attack always came in handy.
The nice thing about this system is that even if you don’t want to use magic, you could essentially have a spellbook on your second loadout ready for when the going gets tough. You could whip it out, toss some frozen spikes ahead and switch back to your daggers. The secondary loadout adds a lot of freedom to the combat. I personally went with a bow and experimented with a large hammer.
Avowed also does a great job when it comes to feeling the attacks during combat. Enemies react to certain attacks and the weight of a hit is reflected in their stance. I did play on a higher difficulty and it was actually quite tough. I found myself with no healing potions and fighting for my life. But this was more enjoyable than pummeling enemies around without any challenge.
I know this sounds like any other RPG on the planet but Avowed has a sort of magic to it that I need you to understand. The game’s freedom to become the warrior, assassin, archer or magic badass without any preconceived stats, makes it more the RPG than most. I remember starting off on the beach and getting that warm feeling inside as I knew I was on a journey to form a character in a new fantasy world brimming with mystery. It does an excellent job setting up this experience right from the start and the investment plays a big role in how RPGs hook you. I was hooked.
Of course, the world in Avowed is a gem on its own too. The Living Lands come with different breeds of species that I could not wait to meet. Even the most basic conversation with a merchant was met with intrigue as I gazed into the screen wondering why she looked like a fish. I wondered where these fish people were from and how they were tied into this whole land.
My first side quest revolved around me trying to clear out a cottage infested by these lizard species called Xaurip. After which, I then had a fat chat with the quest giver who I discovered had a half-sister who was also Xaurip. Embarrassed by the fact, I encouraged her to overcome her prejudice and embrace her sister. It is honestly a quest you’ll expect to see in a game from Obsidian.
The Living Land is then just as intriguing. Towering mountains in the distance hold discovery and I could not stop myself from walking into every waterfall to see what was behind it. Chests hold gear and there are various ingredients to find for crafting. All I wanted to do was climb every mountain and pick every flower. There’s a lot to look forward to here if you want to get lost in an open-world fantasy.
Then there’s the companions. I met one in the early demo. Another fish man with rather distracting pecks. Did I find myself staring into his chest during almost every scene? No, why do you ask? Companions come with their own skills and abilities. I could initiate them at any time. This fish guy could cast fire at vines and burn them down. Granted, I could do that too because I had spells but hey, if you aren’t into the magic then these companion skills help.
I could then visit any crystal to set up camp. During camp, the sun sets and the evening sounds fill the air. The companions join around the fire to offer wisdom on their lives and the current objective. Needless to say, I sat and listened to it all. Mainly because Avowed made me want to know more. It is yet another rare mechanic that RPGs get right.
I didn’t touch much on the crafting. I could make potions during camp and upgrade my gear using materials found around the world. Given the demo’s restricted access, I didn’t see a point. But it is there. I do look forward to exploring this more in the main game. All the possible gear I could make and rare items I could find got me excited about this system.
I can’t complain. Avowed actually set up a good game within the first few hours and I didn’t want it to end. I sat back and kind of felt like this could have been the holiday season’s blockbuster but hey, it isn’t ready yet. So we will wait. It has all the makings to be the next Elder Scrolls. Its condensed world feels hyperfocused on the fantasy elements and I think it is shaping up to be an exciting game. It looks gorgeous, the combat feels great and the RPG stuff has hit the nail on the head. Don’t sleep on Avowed.
Avowed is scheduled to launch on 18 February on Xbox and PC. Catch up on the pre-order information here.
