Avowed's aversion to realism might not be the most immersive, but it's a breath of fresh air after the hardcore role-play of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 proved to be a serious test of my patience. "How tough can this historical RPG be?", I wondered, while making the worst possible decision at the start of the game: running off into the wilderness to find a sword fighting teacher rather than, you know, getting money for food and shelter. My job as a guides writer means I sometimes have to play games in unconventional ways in the name of science, but I was not prepared for how much I'd need to be peasant-maxing and adhering to Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Avowed is the total opposite, making for one of the most pleasant RPG introductions I've had. With its focus on being a badass in battle and small non-linear maps, the game is lean on systems, but lets you get right into the adventure. In the wake of RPG behemoths like Elden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3, and indeed Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, it's hard to not think that Obsidian Entertainment's latest title is therefore lacking. But I think this relative simplicity is what sets it apart from what has come before and what will come later this year.

Take a vow

Within the first few hours of Avowed, you've got access to pretty much everything you need – fast travel, camps, quests, upgrades, weapons, and you even have your first companion. It's great not having to worry about wrapping your head around getting money, how to stop smelling terrible, and other complicated mechanics every hour or so, letting you dig into Obsidian's sandbox to make your own discoveries.

The regions of the Living Lands each feel far from the size of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's initial Trosky region, but they're densely packed with all sorts of landmarks and secrets around every corner. While trying to de-fog a section of the Dawnshore map, a winding path led me to a pyromancer who incinerated himself right as I arrived. A hilariously unexpected encounter that is so easy to miss, and with only his charred remains left, I could nab his key to open the pyromancer's chest I remembered seeing several hours earlier for some loot.

It's so easy to be rewarded for just fumbling around in Avowed too. With no real crime system in place, you're also free to steal practically every item and pilfer every chest you come across, even if it's in someone else's house. And it also helps that the Dialogue History and Lore feature for all your inter-fumbling conversations lets you stay in the know. As a Pillars of Eternity novice, this helped a lot with getting into the central story.

Broadly, player choice is what Avowed is all about. It's not the deepest or most sophisticated RPG, but everything is in service to you, the player. Skill trees can be freely dipped into, respeccing your abilities is relatively cheap, and there are no weapon restrictions, which lets you focus purely on your build and your quest choices.

Admittedly, this radical streamlining means Avowed is far from a flawless adventure overall. With such a short initial learning curve compared to other RPGs, it's impossible to avoid having an "is that it?" moment that might make or break your desire to continue. And with such a strong focus on the "action" part of action RPG, other areas lack the immersion that so many modern RPGs offer. Paradis feels somewhat lifeless with no wandering NPCs, and I can't deny that I miss a good old lockpicking minigame.

Warhorses for courses

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is practically the antithesis of this player-focused design philosophy. Where Avowed serves the player, Warhorse Studios' medieval epic serves itself entirely. Henry might be the main character of the story, but that doesn't mean you're getting much of a helping hand over the course of his rags to riches story.

While I found the dense systems and ruthless world incredibly abrasive at first, I respected the craft of making something so complex and punishingly realistic. For starters, the amount of theft you can get away with in Avowed would see you setting a speedrun record for getting executed in Bohemia. Combat is also so cutthroat that you must choose your fights wisely or get good fast. Although, I’d take Avowed’s lack of a lockpicking minigame over the monstrosity in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 any day.

After raging at the state of my sleep-deprived and groschen-less Henry several hours in, I started over, going full peasant survival mode the moment Henry was out of the pillory. It made for a much better time, meeting the game on its terms rather than trying to be a hero. I admit, finding a huge stash of groschen in a quarry outside Trosky Castle helped massively as well. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is brutal, but I see the appeal. Even though I spent most of my time avoiding the main quest, I was getting into the Bohemian bumpkin lifestyle by the time I had to move onto Avowed.

Ultimately, these games represent two wildly different approaches to the same genre, neither of which are incorrect. Playing Kingdom Come is like playing Dungeons & Dragons with a Dungeon Master who has memorized all the core books and has elaborate notes for every NPC, faction, and location. Avowed is like playing with a Dungeon Master who might not be the best at improvising and knows maybe two-thirds of the rules, but gods be damned do they want you to kick arse and have a good time.

While I'm more of a fan of Avowed's jettisoning of RPG tropes in the name of fun, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's success shows there's an appetite for that gritty realism and borderline method acting style of play. I think it's fascinating that 2025 has kicked off with two action RPGs that represent the extremes of the genre. And with Monster Hunter Wilds raising the series to new heights, Assassin's Creed Shadows improving its dual protagonist approach, and Elden Ring Nightreign fusing Soulsborne DNA with roguelikes, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Avowed have kicked off what could be a golden year for action RPGs.

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