Avowed – Review

Avowed is the kind of comfort food you relax and savour while watching a TV series, dressed in comfy clothes, at home.

Pillars of Obsidian

22 years ago, in Irvine, California, five video game developers who had left Black Isle (responsible for the Baldur’s Gate series) laid the foundations of the studio Obsidian Entertainment – recognised and acclaimed for developing celebrated titles such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, Neverwinter Nights 2, and Fallout: New Vegas. I’d say these are three of the most popular RPGs of the last two decades.

However, these titles were merely collaborations with existing IPs, found in the portfolios of BioWare and Bethesda. Obsidian’s first original game was Alpha Protocol, released only in 2010. As we know, the gaming industry is not very forgiving, so in 2012, after an internal financial crisis caused by several factors – including the cancellation of some projects – Obsidian decided to turn to crowdfunding. Thus, Pillars of Eternity was born, which brought the classic “old school” isometric RPG formula back into the spotlight, marking a new beginning for the American studio.

In 2018, Obsidian was acquired by Microsoft, becoming part of the Xbox Game Studios division, where it operates to this day.

Thus, we arrive at the subject of this review: Avowed – a title that shares the same universe (Eora) as Pillars of Eternity, but this time, from a first-person perspective. If I’ve piqued your curiosity and you want to learn more about the studio behind Avowed, I recommend watching the documentary produced by Obsidian for its 20th anniversary. You can find it here: Obsidian documentary. It has only five parts and presents the studio’s most important contributions to the video game industry over the last two decades.

A complicated story…

I mentioned in the introduction that the action in Avowed takes place in the world called Eora, the same universe as the two Pillars of Eternity titles. Those who have already played Pillars will have an extra reason to discover this new epic adventure in the Living Lands, especially since they are already familiar with Eora and its mysteries. At the same time, the game can be a gateway into this universe for those who haven’t explored the series yet, with Avowed being an opportunity to get acquainted with this IP.

Regardless of approach or context, in short, the game is worth discovering. But before delving into details, let’s see what this new Obsidian Entertainment adventure entails narratively.

As in most RPGs, you play from the perspective of a hero sent by the Aedyr Empire, a nation formed by humans and elves. Your main mission is to investigate a mysterious plague, called the Dream Scourge, which affects both the environment and the inhabitants of The Living Lands. The plot isn’t very hard to follow and might seem quite predictable, but, not being familiar with Pillars of Eternity, I felt a bit disadvantaged by the way the story is revealed. If you haven’t played the previous two titles either, you’ll feel overwhelmed by the names of characters and places mentioned without much context. It’s like trying to watch season 5 of Game of Thrones without having seen the previous seasons – you’ll wonder who character “X” is and why everyone is sobbing that they died…

Returning to the Living Lands and the story, although some details are hard to understand without a ChatGPT summary, Avowed remains, in essence, an action game. In an RPG, a well-written story can compensate for a less spectacular graphic style or repetitive gameplay, but in Avowed’s case, for me, the strong point was rather the combat and exploration. I’m not saying I didn’t like the narrative or the characters, but after investing tens of hours in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, it becomes hard to be impressed by a new RPG.

If I were to compare the two titles – although they pursue different objectives – I’d say Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an RPG-simulator, while Avowed is an RPG-arcade, or more precisely, an Action RPG. Another comparison I’ll allow myself, borrowed from my colleague Codrin (aka ManCave.ro), is that the first game is like a romantic dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant, and the second is your favourite pizza savoured while watching a series on Netflix. Both have their place, because, in the end, the experiences are different and equally satisfying.

I insisted on this comparison because both games were released around the same time, and many gamers were wondering which one to choose. Now that some time has passed, I think things have settled and the conclusion is clear: if you have the time and budget, both are worth playing. You’re guaranteed to spend several tens of hours – maybe even hundreds if you choose to explore them in depth – without regret. As they say, it’s “worth the money”, no doubt.

Returning to the story, Avowed tries to help you understand the main narrative thread through a visually well-made cinematic. This is how you learn that the inhabitants of Eora live, die, and are reborn in a continuous cycle of reincarnation, always watched over by gods – some more lenient, others more severe.

The Aedyr Empire, the protagonist’s homeland, is protected by the goddess Wodika, known as the Lady of Laws and Vengeance. However, recently, she has turned her gaze away from mortals, leaving them prey to revolts, famine, and political instability. Desperate, the empire’s inhabitants seek salvation in the Living Lands, a rich but wild island, inhabited mostly by fugitives, exiles, and adventurers. They try to tame the new territories, but nature seems to rebel against them. Those who suffer the most are the indigenous populations, increasingly marginalised and pushed to the brink of existence.

The player takes on the role of a Godlike, a mortal born with the blessing of the gods – something that can be both a divine gift and a curse. Nevertheless, you are recruited as an emissary of the empire and sent to the Living Lands to ensure the future and continuity of the Aedyr Empire. Everything seems fine, until you learn that the island hides a dark secret. Something evil is coming to life in the form of a rapidly spreading plague, threatening the entire world of Eora.

But, no pressure – your mission is to discover the source of this evil and destroy it at all costs. The future of the empire depends on you…

The Living Lands – a possible holiday destination?

Avowed begins in a rather clichéd way, I’d say. You’re “freshly” shipwrecked on one of the beaches of the Living Lands, alongside a fluffy, bluish companion. After the ship you were travelling on was destroyed, you wake up and begin to familiarise yourself with the exotic landscapes of the island. The first thing you do? Grab any weapon you find nearby and jump at the throats of your enemies, as you carve your way to Paradise.

The first area in the game serves as a tutorial. As I mentioned above, you’ll be able to test different types of weapons, from the classic axe and shield to the magic wand and tome, which reminds you of Hogwarts Legacy – it even feels almost the same in terms of gameplay, especially if you choose to switch to a third-person perspective. Yes, the game also offers this option, similar to Grand Theft Auto or Skyrim, but personally, I don’t recommend it. The way the character moves and the accuracy in combat leave much to be desired in third-person mode. It’s nice that the developers implemented this functionality, but the first-person perspective remains the best choice, especially when it comes to fights. Trust me.

By the way, I forgot to mention how you create your character, but the process is so trivial it doesn’t deserve much attention. You choose your gender, facial features, hairstyle, beard, eye colour, etc. However, the most important thing to tick is the option to hide the specific traits of a Godlike – those mushrooms stolen from the Clickers in The Last of Us. They look horrible… ich. Even though the game is first-person and 80% of the time you only see your hands (or more precisely, your weapons), your character is visible during dialogues. I preferred to hide the “mushrooms” – I only like them on a plate, with a white sauce and a portion of tagliatelle.

I must mention that I absolutely loved the combat. It’s the element that kept me engaged and motivated me to finish the game. It’s simply fun, and even if it becomes repetitive after a few hours, it has that addictive effect that gives you satisfaction and keeps you captivated for hours.

One interesting thing about Avowed is that you don’t choose a class when you create your character. In fact, there aren’t really any classes, but rather a system of abilities that ultimately fall into three combat styles: Fighter, Ranger, and Wizard. The internet says that Wizard abilities are the most overpowered, but I chose a hybrid Ranger + Fighter style. Basically, I attacked from a distance using a pistol in my right hand and an axe in my left hand (just in case anyone dared to get too close).

Most of my ability points went into pure damage, and what was left I invested in health. The strategy was simple: to last as long as possible, not to press too many buttons, and to have as many critical strikes as possible.

As in any RPG, weapons and armour play an important role. In Avowed, however, the loot system is a little different from other titles. All weapons in the game look almost the same and bear the same name. The exception, of course, are legendary weapons, which come with special abilities.

For example, all pistols in the game are identical, but the legendary one I use has lightning damage. The same goes for the axe – after a few hits, it has a chance to poison the enemy. I can’t say I’m a fan of this itemisation style, being more accustomed to systems like Diablo or Borderlands, where each weapon has its own personality, even if it belongs to the same class. At the same time, I have to admit that this approach has its advantages – you no longer waste time checking every item you find, but focus more on gameplay.

I can say with my hand on my heart that I absolutely loved exploring the Living Lands. Avowed is not an open-world game where you can explore every visible nook and cranny. You have several areas, which you unlock as you progress through the main story.

The first region is called Dawnshore and becomes accessible immediately after you finish the tutorial. Here lies the port city of Paradise, which serves as the main hub for trade and social interactions. The city is divided into two main districts:

• Southern Paradis – the city entrance area, home to the Aedyran embassy and various markets.
• Paradis Hightown – the upper district, which houses the more prosperous neighbourhoods and important institutions in the region.

In total, there are five large regions you will discover throughout the game, each with its own unique character. From this point of view, you can’t get bored – the maps are full of secret chests, bounties, points of interest, and all sorts of activities that keep you engaged.

After you finish all activities in a region, you can return to the main mission and, similar to chapters in Diablo 2, travel to a new area. You can always return to a previous region, but once you’ve eliminated the enemies and discovered all the secrets, there’s not much left to do – the areas are not replayable.

Another interesting aspect is the verticality of the maps. Avowed encourages you to explore every building, cave, tower, or rooftop that seems to hide something. Most of the time, you’ll find a secret chest or a special enemy that will reward your curiosity with a new weapon or a piece of armour.

In this regard, Avowed reminds me of Mirror’s Edge or Dying Light – you can jump on various objects, not just to discover secrets, but also to gain a strategic advantage in combat. Anakin, I have the higher ground!

Two heads are better than one

The most important thing is that, in your mission to save the world, you are not alone. Right from the first region, you meet your first two companions.

So, we have Kai – a Fighter from the Dawnshore region, very chill and helpful when you want to advance into a cave and need to burn the spiderweb blocking the entrance. Shortly after befriending the first companion, Marius appears. Yes, I’m not kidding, that’s really his name. And he’s not the only NPC with a Romanian name (I’ll leave you the pleasure of discovering the others). Our little Marius is a mountain dwarf, an archer (Ranger) by profession, very useful when you need to discover hidden treasures in the area.

In total, there are four characters who can join your cause in Avowed. Unfortunately, during the game, you can’t have all four with you; you have to choose only two. Anyway, the three-person formula (south-east!) is enough – otherwise, you’d have too many buttons to press in combat.

Each character has an interesting backstory and a different perspective on events, which you can explore at the camp. There you can interact with your companions and even unlock specific missions, through which you learn more about each one’s secrets.

This part with the camp and character interactions reminded me a lot of Dragon Age: Origins. Now that I’ve mentioned it, it seems like the two games are similar in several ways… but I don’t want to get too boring.

What’s worth mentioning is that the camp isn’t just a place for conversations and side quests, but also a place where you can upgrade your equipment.

While exploring Eora, you’ll find all sorts of plants and minerals, which you can use to upgrade your weapons and armour. The system is quite simple:

• You need specific resources (e.g., 2 twigs and 4 stones) to increase the quality of your equipment.
• Each weapon and piece of armour can go through five upgrade stages, from Common to Legendary.
• Upgrades matter in combat: if you’re facing a Category II bear, ideally you should have a weapon of the same category – otherwise, you’ll do less damage and the battle will last longer.

The resources needed for an upgrade can be obtained in two ways:

1. Dismantling old equipment from your inventory.
2. Collecting loot from defeated enemies or from certain locations on the map.

This system isn’t revolutionary, but it’s efficient enough to motivate you to explore and optimise your equipment as you progress.

Xbox vs. PC

Some time ago, I wrote a preview about Avowed (link here), in which I complained about the PC version’s optimisation. I don’t know if I drew the short straw or if the gods of Eora weren’t on my side, but I stand by the opinion that the game isn’t very well optimised.

Right from the first minutes of gameplay, I encountered two major crashes. Admittedly, I haven’t had such problems since, which indicates that the updates released in the meantime have resolved some of the bugs. However, the biggest frustrations remain related to the unstable frame rate – especially when traversing the streets of Paradise (the first city) – and the graphical artefacts (the “fleas”) that appear when looking at a character or in certain areas where shadows are more prominent.

I’m aware that optimising a game on PC is not easy at all, especially considering the multitude of possible configurations – even more varied than the items in Avowed. I don’t have a high-end PC, but not a weak one either. Under the hood of an NZXT H500 case, there’s a Ryzen 7 5700X3D and a Radeon RX 7900 GRE, the rest of the components being less relevant. Not great, not terrible, some would say.

Initially, I blamed the fact that I have AMD components – it’s known that sometimes drivers can be problematic. However, after a little research, I noticed that gamers with much more powerful Nvidia RTX graphics cards and Intel processors are complaining about the same issues. This reassured me somewhat, but I remain disappointed that the optimisation could have been better.

I also tested Avowed on Xbox Series X, where the experience is… sometimes better, sometimes worse. I know it sounds strange, but in short: the problems on PC don’t appear on Xbox, but also vice versa – in areas where the PC runs without problems, the Xbox has difficulties.

It’s nothing serious, nothing that makes the game unplayable, but after experiencing titles like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Split Fiction, I’ve become more demanding when it comes to optimisation, especially in 2025.

The good news is that updates appear regularly, which gives me hope that, at some point, Avowed will be a flawless game, and all gamers will be able to enjoy it without crashes, strange textures, and frame drops.

Until then, it remains a good title, but with technical issues that can influence the experience depending on the platform you choose to play it on.

Conclusion

Avowed is one of my favourite games this year. Even though it’s only March and 2025 has just begun in terms of video game releases – autumn usually being the season when the hottest titles appear – the time spent in the world of Eora was, for me, time well spent.

Although there were moments when the game didn’t impress me, overall, I can say that Avowed was a fun experience. After all, that’s the purpose of a game – to give us cool moments, to relax us and transport us to magical worlds, far from the worries and problems of everyday life.

Obsidian Entertainment has once again delivered a solid RPG, as they have accustomed us to for over 22 years. It’s not a revolutionary recipe, but, as I said at the beginning of the review, it’s the kind of comfort food you relax and savour while watching a TV series, dressed in comfy clothes, at home.

I still have a few missions to complete, but I’ve intentionally left them, just so I have a reason to return to the Living Lands from time to time. I sincerely hope that Obsidian won’t abandon the game and will release a DLC in the near future.

Without a doubt, Avowed is one of the 2025 titles that are worth playing or at least trying – especially since it’s incredibly accessible. For just 40 lei, you can play it through PC Game Pass, an excellent subscription that comes bundled with a bunch of solid 7s, including Indiana Jones and the Great Circle or even S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

And not only that! In the coming weeks, other must-play titles will appear, including DOOM: The Dark Ages, which will be released day one on Game Pass – and which you absolutely must try!

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Played on: PC & Xbox Series X
Release date: 13 February 2025
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios