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Is it about the journey, the destination… or maybe who it is you're traveling with? No matter the answer, my King-given quest to find a solution to the plague-like Dreamscourge ravaging the world is a journey off to a rocky start. Quite literally. Our ship coming under fire, we're bashed against the spiky stuff, spluttering and coughing as I wash ashore looking at the nearby fort looking for answers. This tutorial island is a fine way to get to grips with the unique feel of Avowed. Our allies, Garryck and Hore, are also fine. They explain everything well enough. But they feel like a tutorial, not really drawing me in.
But journeys are more than just the beginning, and Avowed promises to be an epic one. Sailing away from the island we finally land at Dawnshore, a harbor just a stone's throw away from the bustling city of Paradis, and our gateway to The Living Lands. And who do we stumble upon at the docks but Kai? He cuts quite the figure.
For starters, he's blue and merman-like, as are all coastal Aonuma in Eora (which is also the Pillars of Eternity setting), and looks like a seafaring swashbuckler, backed up by a holstered cutlass and large flintlock pistol. Chiseled like nobody's business, Kai even bears more than a passing resemblance to Handsome Squidward – and yes, that's as big a compliment as they come.
In a heated debate with Captain Cynric as the pair await my arrival as an Envoy of the King, I'm immediately endeared to Kai when, off-put by my hero's funky fungal facial features, Cynric stumbles over her words and Kai gives an eye-rolling response. He's sassy from the off, but all in the name of being righteous – while also being well aware of the danger that abounds in The Living Lands, especially as the Dreamscourge has everyone on edge.
Our goals align. He needs to find a claviger, and I need to find an ambassador – both of whom were last seen traveling together out in the wilds. Our tutorial pals already took off as soon as we arrived, so, hello sailor, Kai becomes our first full-time companion.
He may be a new face, but he's immediately a warm welcome to RPG fans like myself beyond making a good first impression in conversation. He's voiced by Brandon Keener, who also plays Garrus Vakarian in the BioWare-developed Mass Effect sci-fi trilogy. Fan affection for the character is fervent to say the least – I'm among them – so it's a great way to make us feel right at home as we begin to develop a party of misfits across the game to come.
Whether it's something slower paced like Baldur's Gate 3 or more action-focused like Dragon Age: The Veilguard, companions really do form the backbone of a great RPG. Beyond Brandon Keener as Kai, other recognizable favorites also play roles in Avowed: Mara Junot will play Giatta; Anjali Bhimani will play Yatzli; and Scott Whyte will play Marius, PC Gamer reports.
More than a feeling
This month, we're diving into the highly anticipated upcoming Obsidian game. To find our coverage, visit the Avowed Big Preview hub.
Having lived in Dawnshore for about six years, Kai is a great companion to get you to grips with the land you've come to explore. He's been around long enough to have connections with some of the early characters you meet – like some shopkeepers – but still has an outside perspective to bring to the table, which gives you some common ground.
So far we love Avowed's camp party feature, and it's given us ample opportunity to get to learn about Kai's history and more. Having come to The Living Lands as an expatriate drifter from Rauatai after his naval service, he's found an off-the-grid new home here. He's clearly been through hell in his earlier years, having served in a Rauataian campaign to try to reclaim Aonuman ancestral land in the Deadfire Archipelago while restoring order to the pirate-ridden islands and improving relations with its current inhabitants. Young and idealistic, it was something he believed in – but after constant bloody conflict he began to question the motives of his superiors and ponder the pointlessness of war.
Having deserted and left it all behind years ago, rather than grow jaded it's given him some perspective. He has a lot of history rather than just baggage, and is using what he's learned to help build a path forward, not just for himself, but for those he cares about as well. Get on his good side, and he'll stick by you. But he's still on his own journey as well – in the process of healing. He's got plenty more to say about his background too, but don't worry, I'll leave you to discover more about that yourself!
Supporting fire
Kai is also a great mechanical addition from early on. Just as you have your own skills easily accessible on the d-pad or skill wheel, Kai's own moves can become a part of that. With just a nod, he can lay down some covering fire from behind, or even assist in exploration with the power to burn down parts of the environment (you'll need it to deal with cobwebs and ivy early on if you can't be bothered to flick through your own spellbook).
Most importantly, his cutlass and pistol aren't just for show. He dual-wields both in the fray. It's an effective loadout, but serves as a handy reminder to players that Avowed's flexible combat system empowers you to play with your own gear sets and switch them around on the fly – it's super customizable. Also, Kai just plain looks cool doing it.
Some RPGs can really feel like they take a long time to get going. In part, that's because you often don't have a full party until several hours in, and that dynamic takes time to form. While it's true that in my first few hours with Avowed the party is incomplete, its opening doesn't feel lesser for focusing on Kai and the player character's dynamic. If anything it feels better for it, allowing for some deep character work to come to the fore, all while Kai handily introduces you to what the deal is with The Living Lands and guides you into the flow of the game.
Also, to anyone annoyed at the lack of romance options in Avowed I say to you: skill issue. Must we lock up our hearts simply because the digital code that powers a game has limits? As those who engage with art, as humans, our affections aren't beholden to any such rules. Whether the game allows me to codify it or not, I already feel myself growing close to Avowed's companions even though we've only traveled together for such a short time. It really is all about the journey and who you spend it with, and I for one can't wait to see what the journey throws Kai and I's way next. What more could I ask for from an RPG hook than that?
Obsidian's new RPG is sure to be our next Xbox RPG favorite. Despite the Skyrim comparisons, Avowed is an Obsidian RPG first and foremost: "Let's bring in all the greatest hits"! Want to set off an adventure and can't wait? Our best RPG games list has your back!
