Avowed review: "No Skyrim, but an unforgettable return to form for Obsidian Entertainment"

In an era seemingly devoid of solid first-person fantasy RPGs, Avowed steps up to the plate with its more immersive spin on the Pillars of Eternity universe – and hits a lightning-speed homerun. With its fast-paced combat, quirky companions, versatile builds, and enchanting world, it's difficult to not get lost within Avowed. Make no mistake, this is no Skyrim despite the comparisons sparked by the game's fantastical setting and first-person POV, but rather an unforgettable return to form for developer Obsidian Entertainment – and a massive win for Microsoft as one of the best Xbox Game Pass games this year.

Avowed takes Obsidian's penchant for stellar storytelling and combines it with breathtaking visuals to create what might just stand as one of this year's best RPGs. It feels twice as big as The Outer Worlds, the studio's impressive 2019 sci-fi adventure, perhaps setting the stage for what's to come with The Outer Worlds 2. Likewise, Avowed's exploration of Eora's complicated history is fathoms deeper than what we get in Pillars of Eternity.

This is due in part to Avowed's remarkable writing – and not only its dialogue, either. Sure, there's plenty of fun chatter to be had around the campfire with your companions, but it's the seemingly smaller narrative choices that make it stand out. The books and letters housed by Eora's most out-of-sight nooks and crannies exemplify as much. So much so, in fact, that I lost literal hours searching for and reading collections of in-game diaries, documents, novellas, you name it (The Soul Unbound, I'm looking at you).

That's not to say that companions should be overlooked. While limited in number, each one has their own compelling storyline, with both emotional dialogue and impactful questing. The lack of romance was something I feared going into Avowed, having been spoiled by the likes of Baldur's Gate 3 and its fleshed-out companion system, but here it's simply not needed to make its relationships meaningful. Obsidian previously admitted its devs wanted "to focus on other aspects of our companions" in Avowed, and it's safe to say they did so – and then some.

Three's not a crowd, it's a party

The first thing that truly strikes me about Avowed isn't its vibrant scenery or quick combat, but rather the first companion I meet upon finishing what essentially serves as the game's tutorial – Kai. I arrive at the docks of Paradis, a once-prosperous city in Dawnshore torn by an unforgiving empire's presence and the ever-spreading Dreamscourge, a mysterious plague marked by the colorful mycelium it leaves behind on those affected. I'm the Aedyran envoy, a controversial figure at best, and a Godlike, someone "blessed" (arguably cursed) by a God.

Many of the folks you come across in Avowed cast immediate judgment on you, a Godlike and the envoy, whether good or bad – but not Kai. A gentle giant of sorts with a brilliant sense of humor despite grappling with his difficult past, Kai listens to the protagonist and always has either a funny remark to input or genuine advice to provide when called on. He's the sort of adventuring companion I'd love to have by my side during a long Dungeons & Dragons campaign, and someone my Godlike grows to see as a dependable friend.

He's not the only dependable companion Avowed has to offer, as I learn when I meet the admittedly more fiery mountain dwarf Marius. A skilled hunter who isn't afraid to share his opinion or disagree with you, Marius, meanwhile, is the type of companion I like having around to keep me in check. Do I make the correct decision when I free the man who attempted to assassinate me? Regardless of how I feel, Marius lets his own thoughts be heard, vehemently disagreeing with my mercy, and I love his character all the more for it.

Avowed is, after all, an RPG, which means that choices are core to the gameplay. I often find myself asking my party how they feel about said choices in difficult situations. From politics to murder, it's all up for discussion – and what's more, each companion's input actually feels valuable. More opinionated followers, the cutting-edge animancer Giatta for instance, will openly voice their concerns prompted or not. It not only makes for some seriously intense moments during weighty decisions, but it also adds to the overall immersion.

I'll remember the conviction in Giatta's words in every conversation regarding the Burning Queen-devout Inquisitor Lödwyn and her Steel Garrote legion for years to come I'll remember archaeology-obsessed mage Yatzli's bubbly excitement whenever we have the chance to plumb the ancient, mysterious ruins of the Godless. Kai's concern when he confesses his doubts about whether he can fit in among a team. And Marius' frequent cursing of bleste when anxious of traps ahead. Crafting convincing characters is quite a feat as is, but crafting convincing characters whose stories and quirks stick with players long after the credits roll is another – and Obsidian manages to nail both in Avowed.

Despite how each member of the party grows on me as I play, however, I do wish I cared about the companions' combat systems more. Barking the odd command doesn't add much to the game for me, as they can mostly take care of themselves as is – especially as I don't feel like pressing more buttons than I already have to as a spellcaster. Sure, I spec Giatta into some heals and shields for utility, but that's about it. I assign skills to companions, but ultimately I let them take the lead during combat and utilize their kits however the AI sees fit, ironically ending up making these unforgettable allies in conversation the complete opposite in the fray where I rarely need to think about their presence.

The good, the Gods, and the Godless

I also find myself desiring more cinematics or cutscenes. Is this another result of my Baldur's Gate 3 brain rot – have I been spoiled into needing elaborate visuals to accompany dialogue or important milestones throughout the story? No, I just think that a world as breathtaking as Eora's Living Lands and writing as strong as Avowed's deserve it. Some of the scenes shared with the so-called "Voice" in the Godlike's head (whose identity I won't go further into for the sake of avoiding spoilers) are lacking in impact – more detail would go a long way to making these important moments more powerful.

Avowed's story is moving as it is, although I was initially skeptical given its breezy opening hours. As things move along and I uncover more of Eora's secrets, I'm drawn deeper into the intricate lore. Importantly, as someone less familiar with Pillars of Eternity, Obsidian does a wonderful job of introducing the world to both newcomers and longtime dwellers alike. There are bite-sized documents to fill in any gaps regarding Gods, Godlikes, the Godless, and everything in between. Handily, you can even pause a conversation at any time to flick through additional detail on any keywords mentioned during the chat. It all makes me hungry to know more about the world in a way I've not felt since the likes of Planescape: Torment and Disco Elysium.

Circumstances, dialogue, and scattered texts leave me questioning morality, mortality, colonialism, imperialism, religion, and the nature of man – sometimes all at once. It might seem like a lot for a fantasy RPG to balance, but it all blends into Eora seamlessly and breathes a gust of real life into Avowed's story. Nothing ever strikes me as overly complicated or mentally taxing, though – and this speaks to Obsidian's strength in world-building. I fit into the setting not as a partially disconnected player, but as the Godlike envoy concerned with the dealings of Eora.

Every decision carries weight, drawing me further into Avowed's clutches. As I do in Dungeons & Dragons (and just about every other RPG, tabletop or otherwise), I opt to walk my usual chaotic good path, shying away from the court and Gods in favor of a legacy marked by forgiveness, understanding, and above all, a thirst for unveiling the truth. I'm not always objective, nor am I lawful by any means, but I do try to steer the envoy and her companions down a road painted by as little blood and as much discovery as possible.

As for consequences, there are plenty. Choices are important in Avowed, and I live with each one I make as I play. It's not only the companions who care about my envoy's decisions, either (although I personally would recommend not going for the "Everyone Disliked That" achievement), but all of Eora in a way – the world and its unfolding circumstances are actively shaped by my choices. A certain city catching fire at the hands of the Steel Garrote will stick with me for some time to come, but I'm no save scummer – I'll just have to follow a different route next time and snag another ending while I'm at it.

So much to do, so much to see

There's so much more to Avowed than just its main story. I complete every side quest I can, of course, but between cryptic treasure maps and totem pieces strewn about Eora, I'm still adventuring across the Living Lands. This is a first-person fantasy RPG, but that's only for starters – it's an action-packed adventure with unforgettable twists and mysteries to solve galore. With so much gear to upgrade, so many memories to unlock, countless people to help, and various puzzles to ponder, Avowed is never dull.

Before playing, I thought I might miss the freedom found in open-world games like Skyrim – but I don't feel restricted in Avowed. The flow between each rather large map is natural, and fast travel makes it easy to poke your head back into previous areas for more questing. My only real gripe here is the fact that I can't place any custom map markers – a fact my scatterbrained ADHD self can't quite cope with when it comes to locked treasure chests and other significant finds I might want to go back to eventually.

Enemies are also plentiful in Avowed, but thankfully, combat is as fun as it is fluid. I play a wizard wielding a wand in one arm and a grimoire in the other – because one can never have enough magic on hand, I suppose – and I love it. Able to quick-swap between two loadouts at once, and weapons able to fit into either hand, you can mash together pretty much any combination of spectacular weapons you want. Admittedly, I struggle to find my footing at first after so much time spent in third-person RPGs and top-down turn-based CRPGs, but once I do (and once I secure some gear upgrades), it's game over for the Dreamthralls and the Xaurips as I send them rag-dolling across ravines with surging missiles to the face. The difficulty curve is well-judged too, ensuring that each new zone offers fair yet challenging fights (and lots of them!).

Overall, I find just as much enjoyment within the more active gameplay as I do the story. I'll not soon forget my time with Avowed – chaos, comedy, catastrophe, and all. It's an enchanting return to the immersive first-person fantasy RPG vibes I've been searching for since 2011, but it's also so much more than that. Nostalgia-inducing, perhaps, but revolutionary in its own way, Avowed marks the beginning of an eye-catching new page in Obsidian's already well-thumbed book of top-notch games with exceptional storytelling – and I can't wait for more.

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