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In Avowed, I run with reckless abandon. With no stamina bar to get in the way of my sprinting spree, I can dash across the lush plains of Dawnshore for as long as I want, and damn if it doesn't feel good. By simply removing any kind of limit on the amount of time I can move faster, I'm instead able to decide when or if I want to slow down myself. I didn't expect such an omission to make exploration feel quite so freeing, but it really does make all the difference. Running wild across the landscapes of Eora is downright fun as a result, speeding to and fro across the map and parkouring over ledges as I go.
In fact, the more time I spend with Obsidian's adventure, the more I've come to appreciate all the ways Avowed resolves some common RPG annoyances. From unlimited sprinting and ammo, to a simple but elegant solution to over-encumberance, everything works together to let me really get lost in the fantasy, and I couldn't really ask for more.
No more burdens to carry
Stamina bars aside, over-encumbrance is the most loathsome of hindrances in RPGs when it comes to slowing characters down. For me, nothing takes away from the fantasy of exploration quite like having too much darn stuff halting my movements. Do you remember back in the days of Oblivion when arrows would actually have weight to them? I sure do. Yes, they were light all things considered, but they could really stack up. Not only did this mean that they'd incrementally take up some of your overall carry capacity, but you'd also have to keep finding and looting more if the bow was your weapon of choice. Find yourself in a hairy fight with no other weapons to back you up? You'd be Dremora food, guaranteed. Avowed answers these classic RPG foibles in two simple but effective ways.
For starters, Obsidian completely takes ammo out of the equation, so I never have to worry about bow or bullet management. The flexible combat system encourages you to experiment by design, with a host of different dual-wielding options to play around with. But I've come to lean on my trusty bow for stealthy attacks, and with an unlimited supply of arrows at my disposal, I can get stuck into the fantasy of becoming a lethal sniper without ever having to think about getting caught empty-handed if I haven't stocked up my quiver recently. As gameplay director Gabe Paramo explained to me last year, this was very much by design to "create a frictionless experience", and it really has paid off, because the unlimited ammo and quick loadout swapping mean that the flow of my combat encounters is never broken.
Avowed's inventory management really is a godsend for my godlike, too. With the "send back to camp" option within the inventory menu, I can pop anything I've looted in my stash with just a click of a button. Now, whenever I see that I'm bearing too much weight during my explorations, it's never a bothersome game of 'what should I drop or destroy so I can keep going?'. Honestly, it's something I wish more RPGs had, but it also makes perfect sense in an adventure like Avowed that includes such a flexible approach to combat. I'm constantly coming across cool new weapons and gear that I can upgrade, and I never have to drop any if I bag too much loot. And if I ever fancy changing up my loadout, I have a vast supply of options just waiting for me back at camp.
Other recent RPGs have used updates to address over-encumbrance and inventory management, and it's always something I've appreciated. I loved Starfield's updated option to increase carry capacity that came last year, along with Baldur's Gate 3's improved inventory management system – which allowed you to access every party member regardless of whether or not they were with you – but Avowed's approach makes it all so effortless from the get-go.
Avowed really does give you so much freedom and flexibility to play your way, right down to the little details that remove some of the common RPG trappings. Now I can sprint and use my bow to my heart's content, and get swept up in exploration and discovery without ever having to think about how much I'm looting. And more than that, I can get utterly lost in the fantasy of its beautiful, colorful world with ease.
Getting stuck into the RPG yourself? Check out our 11 Avowed tips and tricks for beginner's in the Living Lands.
