Must know
What’s it? A primary-person fantasy motion RPG written with typical Obsidian aptitude.
Launch date Feb 18, 2025
Anticipate to pay $70/£60
Developer Obsidian Leisure
Writer Xbox Recreation Studios
Reviewed on RTX 3060 (laptop computer), Ryzen 5 5600H, 16GB RAM
Steam Deck TBA
Hyperlink Official website
Verify Amazon
In mid-2023, a couple of prophetic minds warned that the upcoming launch of Baldur’s Gate 3 was going to lift expectations for future RPGs to unrealistic heights. Now, in early 2025, I am right here to say that, sadly, they had been proper: I am compelled to level out proper off the bat that Avowed isn’t Baldur’s Gate 3, neither is it Stalker 2, neither is it Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. It isn’t Fallout: New Vegas, both. No, it is a way more old style form of factor.
Avowed is undeniably a product of the studio answerable for The Outer Worlds and—most related on this case—Pillars of Eternity. It spins a gripping fantasy yarn, balancing existential severity with arch humour, whereas retaining that almost all enduring and engaging Obsidian quirk: that is an admirably flawed achievement. It succeeds as an motion recreation, it excels as a choice-based narrative recreation, however with the standards figuring out what makes an excellent RPG having so dramatically shifted of late, it doesn’t really feel like a standout RPG in 2025. Its world, although lovely, is just too static—not as malleable or reactive as a few of its contemporaries, nor even the classics it remembers.
I’m a Godlike envoy of the Aedyr emperor, despatched to the notoriously harmful Residing Lands to research the Dreamscourge. This “soul plague” sends individuals and animals mad whereas blighting them with actually-quite-stylish technicolour physique fungi. The virus is spreading quick, so my anonymous, unvoiced and fully-customisable envoy should put a nip in its fungal bud earlier than it spreads to the Aedyr empire correct.
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Avowed’s inert cities remind me simply how good we had it in Skyrim and Oblivion
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Avowed succeeds the place Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed: An actionized, beginner-friendly entry level to a long-running collection that does not sacrifice its identification
As an envoy for a robust empire hoping to assert dominance over the Residing Lands, I’m each hated and feared by the races who’ve planted flags throughout the island. However that is not the one particular factor about me: I am additionally a Godlike, which suggests I’m blessed by a god, boast gnarly divine skills, and am additionally marked by fungi signaling my connection to divinity, although with out the “going mad” element. I am additionally, importantly, harangued by unusual voices in my desires. The character creator is full with all of the lip and ear-size sliders you possibly can need, and if the fungi creeps you out (like some members of the PC Gamer staff) it may be toggled off solely.
Because the narrative unfolds, Avowed evolves from a fantasy-flavoured political potboiler into one thing verging on Dantean: there are historical gods, forgotten races, and lots of bewildering philosophical rants. I start as a mere messenger, however issues inevitably get approach out of hand, as they absolutely should in a recreation that obliquely traverses a number of thematic terrain—colonialism, encroaching totalitarianism, environmental catastrophe—with out ever feeling heavyhanded. Obsidian is sweet at writing fantasy. With Avowed, they’ve a world already substantiated throughout two meaty CRPGs, and individuals who performed the Pillars of Eternity video games shall be amply rewarded with callbacks and lore. I for one cherished reacquainting with the weirdly cute Xaurips and Sporelings (earlier than killing them).
As unwieldy because the setup could seem on paper, Avowed maintains an admirable focus throughout its 50-odd hours. I by no means misplaced monitor of what was occurring. And I believed I might, given this can be a recreation with a dynamic glossary accessible mid-conversation, à la Remaining Fantasy 16. Throughout a handful of discrete “open zones,” Obsidian weaves a compact important path between a wealth of fascinating sidequests that, whereas ostensibly non-obligatory, really feel just like the substance of the sport.
Eora mission
Like in all one of the best RPGs, it is not the world you hope to save lots of that issues, however the frivolous jobs you do alongside the best way. I keep in mind a doubtful scenario between a Paradis lady and her weirdly adoring Xaurip admirers extra vividly than any of the key plot beats. Likewise, visiting my companion Marius’s vanquished dwelling village, crouched within the shadow of an enormous volcano, was extra impactful than lastly confronting the fascistic antagonist for the primary time. I used to be extra pleased with saving a brothel in Paradis than I used to be of deciding to have mercy on a villain who I actually must have, looking back, killed. These sidequests shouldn’t be missed, and in fact can’t be, as a result of specializing in the primary quest on the expense of the XP and regular improve supplies they supply in all probability received’t be possible for many gamers.
It’s frequent to show a nook, or mount a crest, and bear witness to a superbly framed vista that will have appeared like overly formidable idea artwork 10 years in the past.
Marius is one in every of 4 companions, and just like the others, he is acquainted: a diminutive foul-mouthed robust man with a golden coronary heart. Early favorite Kai is the sardonic however honest Garrus-like (voiced by Brandon Keener of Garrus fame, coincidentally), whereas a later character—it might be a spoiler to say an excessive amount of—is the sassy sexual innuendo enjoyer. And do not concern: there is a bookish, determinedly humourless companion too.
You’ve got met these individuals earlier than in different RPGs however they’re however well-drawn, with tales and motivations of their very own, and an virtually unbelievable reservoir of random stuff to say on the campfire websites the place I can lick my wounds, enhance my gear, and mercilessly query them. Archetypal although they’re, they really feel alive.
Adventuring with this gaggle throughout the various areas of the Residing Lands is gratifying primarily as a result of Avowed is a shocking recreation to have a look at. Every zone carries a definite grandeur of its personal, and whoever designed these landscapes did so with the sensibility of a cinematographer. It’s frequent to show a nook, or mount a crest, and bear witness to a superbly framed vista that will have appeared like overly formidable idea artwork 10 years in the past. The discrete maps are dense with factors of curiosity, whether or not caverns chiselling deep into the earth or ruins filled with spoils. They don’t really feel like actual areas, however that’s not as a result of they really feel like videogame areas: they really feel like dreamlike fantasy worlds dreamt up by paperback fantasy bonglords.
Picture 1 of 3
Avowed leaves an ideal first impression. These first 10 hours I spent within the sprawling metropolis of Paradis and the broader Dawnshore area, studying concerning the Dreamscourge and life underneath the Aedyr colonisers, exploring surprisingly deep dungeons, capturing the shit with Kai, and making enemies with the native strongmen, put me in thoughts of the sensation of enjoying New Vegas or Oblivion for the primary time, however higher. A number of the missable sidequests, notably within the first space, take me locations different studios would need to frontload within the opening hours of the primary quest. Avowed felt like a luxurious embarrassment of riches.
However whereas this can be a superb recreation, with time I got here to grasp that its ambitions are a contact extra humble than some current style heavyweights. I realised that it could be extra flattering to think about Avowed as a choice-based narrative-driven motion recreation. Or, as a sure form of simplified blockbuster RPG that’s quick receding within the medium’s rearview mirror.
Doom infernal
Let’s speak concerning the combating first. Avowed is surprisingly fight heavy, particularly in its second half. It’s potential to play with the same old array of melee weapons—swords, axes, spears, maces—however you’d be lacking out on rather a lot should you’re not enjoying Avowed like twenty first century Hexen, mixing highly effective ranged assaults with down-and-dirty shut quarters hacking. Each one-handed weapon may be dual-wielded, so I usually roamed with a grimoire in a single hand and a fire-enchanted sword within the different, raining down elemental space of impact assaults on bears, bugs and lizardmen earlier than sprinting in to hack away. For the magic averse, it is also potential to muscle about with a mace in a single hand and a pistol within the different, for instance.
The grimoire is enjoyable for all of the flashing lights and mystical results it conjures, but when magical pew-pew is extra your bag there are wands too. Pistols and arquebuses are current too with all of the sluggish reloading that entails, and so are bows. These typical weapons have limitless ammo, in all probability for magical causes, however grimoires want essence (mainly mana, on this context). Whichever route is taken, excessive mobility is vital, standing nonetheless is loss of life, and my envoy’s spectacular parkour skills proved helpful when manoeuvring across the hordes.
I can’t assault anybody at will and endure the implications, although the narrative phases ample alternatives for me to kill or have mercy.
There are courses and backgrounds to select from, however all ability timber—fighter, ranger, wizard, and godlike—can be found to all courses, and I ended up with a totally blended construct with out feeling deprived for not specialising. I can not change the gear utilized by my companions, however they steadily accrue particular assaults I can set off at any time. My crew is fairly good at utilizing these specials themselves, however they’re near ineffective in relation to moment-to-moment fight, besides after I revisit areas I am approach overpowered for.
Every quest has a problem rating, not based mostly on my degree however on the ability of the weapons and equipment I am utilizing. The system is fairly imprecise: whereas gear is graded alongside typical RPG traces, I normally needed to mix-and-match a bunch earlier than a three-skull problem rating de-escalated to 2, principally blindly, as a result of there are not any Future-style numbers to crunch. Upgrading gear is crucial, as a result of discovering viable weapons is uncommon and normally relegated to sidequests or off-the-beaten path locations. Within the early recreation I discovered a singular one-handed fireplace sword that I went on to make use of proper till the top, principally as a result of I can toggle between two loadouts on the fly, swapping fireplace for an ice mace and a shock-focused grimoire.
PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS
Try our in-depth efficiency take a look at for extra particulars on how the sport runs from our professional {hardware} staff. We have examined Avowed on a number of gadgets, and found one of the best graphics settings to make use of to make your journey as easy and opulent as potential.
I don’t suppose Avowed’s fight might maintain my consideration over the course of a linear, 15-hour motion recreation, however as one of many essential elements in a story-led, exploration-rewarding RPG, it’s much more enjoyable than I had dared hope for.
Efficiency was a bit of shaky on my more and more long-in-the-tooth gaming laptop computer. With an RTX 3060, Ryzen 5600H and 16GB RAM, I clearly had no likelihood of easily operating raytracing, however even at 1080p and low settings the framerate incessantly dropped right down to the 30s and 40s after I was in busy areas. The excellent news is that even at low settings Avowed is beautiful, although low-quality shadows had been a bit of over-obvious in locations, and distant reflective surfaces purchase a bizarre opaque texture.
Immersive easy
However Avowed isn’t only a first-person motion recreation, and after some time the artifice of its RPG programs began to point out. These limits first turned obvious after I, a lowly thief, realised I can rob individuals blind with no penalties in any respect. It’s potential to only enter some public determine’s home, take a look round, open their chests and lockboxes, rob them of their cash, and the worst I’ll obtain is a gentle scolding.
After I’m not in dialog with somebody, that somebody forgets that I’m there. Nothing occurs on this world except I’m invited to make it occur or I am bearing witness to it. This doesn’t make Avowed unhealthy—I cherished it—but it surely’s symptomatic of 1 space the place it falls brief in comparison with its contemporaries, to not point out the first-person Bethesda video games it’s clearly modelled on. I can’t assault anybody at will and endure the implications (although the narrative phases ample alternatives for me to kill or have mercy). Likewise, whereas stealth is an possibility, it’s normally only a means to get an higher hand on a selected foe. As soon as I’ve attacked—whether or not from cowl or utilizing an invisibility spell—each baddie within the neighborhood is aware of I’m there.
The place company exists it’s within the dialog timber, and Obsidian makes good on this regard. As in Pillars of Eternity, normally my necessary decisions are between two undesirable outcomes, or between lesser and better evils. Ethical ambiguity normally quantities as to if one thing unhealthy will occur now, or whether or not it would occur at a extra extreme scale later. Choices culminate in enjoyable methods, particularly in the direction of the top the place sidequests and the important path cleverly intersect. Nonetheless, all of it builds in the direction of a climax that, whereas satisfying, loses a few of the ambiguity that appears to outline the collection.
It’s the alternatives that don’t matter rather a lot that I actually loved: Avowed let me wave my snark flag at excessive mast, and it’s potential to be very cheeky throughout in any other case very stern events, which at all times made me giggle. I may be an arsehole, I may be flippant, I can converse with sagacity or well-meaningly, or I can safely go for the reply that fits the background I selected initially of the sport. It’s potential to construct a sure form of envoy, even when, ultimately, all it quantities to is guided head canon.
Methods shock
Avowed arrives at a bizarre and thrilling time for RPGs. Baldur’s Gate 3, Stalker 2, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2—heck, let’s embrace Elden Ring as nicely—have all demonstrated that some quantity of friction, whether or not or not it’s problem, complexity or each, is welcome. Possibly even anticipated.
Avowed is a greater RPG than Dragon Age: The Veilguard in virtually each significant approach, starting from the meandering depth of its companion conversations by means of to the nuance of its worldbuilding and its willingness to get extraordinarily darkish at occasions. However after I have a look at them side-by-side I see RPGs made for audiences at scale, at a time when RPGs made for dorks and weirdos are having far more success. I actually hoped that Avowed would take away the blockbuster guardrails the best way current style heavyweights have. Obsidian is aware of how to do that and is among the many greatest to have carried out it. Avowed is sensible, but it surely’s not reactive. It’s not breakable. It’s not excitingly pliant, like a few of Obsidian’s most interesting.
Maybe that is not the form of recreation Avowed needs to be; it undoubtedly succeeds on the considerably humbler phrases of a narrative-driven motion RPG with memorable characters, a stunning world, and actually enjoyable fight. Simply think about if at some point, these separate Obsidian tracks—spicy, reactive CRPGs and opulent first-person narrative adventures—completely intersect.
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The Verdict
82
Learn our assessment coverage
Avowed
Larger than it first seems, Avowed is an engrossing and beautiful action-RPG set in one of the vital participating fantasy worlds going, although it lacks the advanced programs of its most beloved contemporaries.
TOPICS
Shaun Prescott
Australian Editor
Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years expertise protecting the video games trade, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Journal, the Sydney Morning Herald, and extra. Particular pursuits embrace indie video games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental video games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time basic that may obtain its due important reappraisal at some point.
