Avowed

Avowed Review: A Journey Through Eora

I was teeming with anticipation heading into Obsidian Entertainment's Avowed. The studio is synonymous with immersive worlds, world-building narratives, and deep RPG mechanics-all things I personally cherish in gaming. This first-person RPG, which is set in the much-loved universe of Pillars of Eternity, had promised a new view and a hefty experience. When I began my journey through the vast world of Eora, I felt the urge to write down every single detail about my journey.

Graphics: 7/10 🎨

The graphics are truly amazing, at least in aesthetics. Every place, from the sprawling green forests to the intricate designs of ancient ruins, is suffused with detail. The characters have some degree of detail modeled into them, but in some instances, animations appear stiff and not as fluid as one would expect from a title in 2025. The lighting effects, especially during spells and when combat occurs, are very cool, although shadows and textures can feel like a step backward sometimes under the weight of comparison with more recent blockbuster titles. While this is obvious that much care gone into the design, it seemed that it did not meet that next generation standard, considering the staggering price of $69.99. 💸

Gameplay: 8/10 ⚔️

The core gameplay loop is where Avowed's strength shines its brightest. Responsive controls and a combat system that blends melee and magic make it satisfying and capable of catering to different playstyles. I loved mixing and matching the spell with blade combat, switching between the two as I fought a variety of enemies, from grotesque beasts to cunning human foes.

Combat was well-executed, but I noticed times when the AI could become predictable, leading me to encounters that were less than challenging for my taste. A very good skill tree grants depth to character progression, but some of the options felt too familiar and borrowed heavily from old-school RPG mechanics without introducing something innovative. It made me crave innovation-the good old Obsidian innovation; they seem to be playing this one a tad safe.

Story: 7/10 📖

In this introduction, the players enter a traditional fantasy narrative with some heavy Eora lore. As I navigated along the several branches of the narrative, some traces of the intricacy located in Pillars of Eternity came to my mind, albeit a little less fascinating. The characters I encountered were memorable, yet some fell a little into plaster casts, devoid of the depth I would expect from an Obsidian game. The decisions I undertook changed the way the story would unfold differently, but the general direction still felt somewhat predictable. I longed for complexity and ambiguity of choice for which Obsidian was well known.

I had a great deal of dialogue choice and would often feel a sense of agency; however, I'm afraid that it could have been less boilerplate fantasy with a bit more nuance and branching in the narrative. Getting different endings based on my decisions was nice; however, the paths to those outcomes were rather devoid of gripping stakes.

World Design: 6/10 🌍

One would have to say that the beauty of the open Eora was truly a cornucopia of radiance and secrets. Still, I must say that in terms of open-world design, it did not have the same level of coherence as other RPGs. Some areas felt disconnected, not really evoking a sense of realism or true exploration. Certain areas were almost designed to resist exploration on their own and do not really encourage venturing out of the main objectives, which rather mellows down that feeling of wonder and discovery.

Most importantly, the sheer size of the world called for the use of fast travel most of the time, thus creating a distance from the world. I want that kind of world where you could freely explore all elements instead of running straight to quest markers.

Performance: 7/10 ⚙️

Avowed runs quite great on the whole; I have had a few pesky little bugs and glitches interrupting my experience though. Load times are fair, yet the occasional hiccup when switching between areas is disappointing because I expect much more with technical advancements these days. Even though these technical issues did not snap me out of the world, they still diminished what was a satisfyingly immersive experience.

Overall Score: 7/10 🌟

When it comes to comparing with present-day RPG titles, I think it has a rather comfortable middle ground position. It's not of the same caliber as the groundbreakers like Elden Ring or Cyberpunk 2077, in terms of depth and gameplay mechanics all within the same breath, but definitely has elements of enjoyment that recall classics like Skyrim or Dragon Age in terms of character progression and immersive worlds.

Ultimately, the game lives up to its promises as a captivating first-person RPG within a beloved universe, but fails quite miserably in certain areas that could otherwise have taken the game much further. And at the price tag of $69.99, perhaps I am every so slightly struggling with the value proposition the game holds. There is a lot of content and adventure here, but I would ask sound minded players to wait for the inevitable sale or fixes that might address most of these.

Basically, when all is said and done, Avowed gave me mixed emotions. I think it's a good game likely to be enjoyed by fans of Obsidian or the whole Pillars of Eternity lore, but unfortunately, it doesn't quite rise to the 'best game of 2023' standard. So that makes the total experience rate about a 7 out of 10 according to me. Of course, if you enjoy this particular genre, you will likely enjoy the ride, although there will be a few bumps along the way! ✨