Avowed does not start with a bang because it is the type of game that gives the feeling of being old-fashioned. It’s not just about the way it looks, even though character animations are stiff, with environments having characteristics similar to how games were in the PS3 and Xbox 360 era. The idea of the game is pretty simple, and it does not do anything over the top or a lot better. It is a grand RPG from the Xbox’s first-party studio. It’s not the type of game that is going to make any grand headlines.
You will be just running around, taking down enemies. It makes you yearn for new ideas, which makes it more like an Xbox 360 or PS3 game with better graphics. After playing the game for a while, its Xbox 360-like nature starts to feel like a strength. There is not much complexity holding the game back, which gives it more freedom. It is a game on a fantasy island that does not forget its adventurous nature. It is a game of treasure hunts while taking its high-powered combat into consideration. Think of it as a game that is having fun being one. All of it makes you wonder, Is Avowed Worth It? Let’s find out.
Premise
Avowed takes place on an island called The Living Land. It is a content full of mystical stuff in the Pillars of Eternity universe. Despite sharing the universe with Pillars of Eternity, it is a standalone game, so you don’t need to play these games to understand what’s happening. Despite that, it is good to see the world in first-person and third-person instead of top-down. There are some mentions of the events of previous games.
Regardless of whether you have experience with the world or not, it remains true that the game has an amazing setting. It ranges from the shores to sunny areas to the ruins to busy urban areas. It’s a tropical island for vacations, but there is a problem with the island. A plague has hit the land, which is having an impact on the living beings of the island. There is no realism; the game embraces it, and I am happy that it does.
You arrive as an envoy of an emperor to figure out the mess and hopefully put a stop to it. Of course, there is an extra layer of depth and choice to your character. In this case, you are a Godlike being because a deity has left a mark on you. It is a facial feature that you can select during character creation.
There is another layer of depth to your character, and you don’t know which God has chosen you. When you are on the island, you hear a voice in your head. It’s a good background, but it takes some time before you see the actual implementation of these ideas.
The RPG
Avowed is an action RPG similar to how Bethesda games are. Avowed is a game with both first-person and third-person options. There is a lot of generic stuff to do, which ranges from stealing potatoes to other generic stuff. That’s all that it shares with Skyrim because, from that point on, it becomes quite different.
It does not have algorithm-based placement for the most part because characters are carefully placed, which results in the story being carefully placed. It helps players navigate the world in streamlined paths. This also means that some of the companions you meet are neither optional nor romanceable, which isn’t usually the case with the majority of modern RPGs. They will help you in combat and will have a say in your decisions.
Combat Is the Savior
Avowed will bombard you with information such as factions, places, and stuff like that. A lot of it is just information to justify something generic. Side quests and bounties do a poor job of making it better. In the opening hours, it can feel bland, but its combat helps it get out of that situation. The ragdoll motion plays a key part in making the combat feel better. You can send enemies flying in ragdoll motion through attacks.
At a glance, the combat might not look that good. Combat is all about attacking, dodging, and constant movement. The responsiveness of control adds another layer of goodness to the combat. The open nature of its combat also acts as a major attraction.
There are also different skill trees, which include Fighter, Ranger, and Wizard. You have the choice to select abilities from these classes and make builds the way you see fit. You can be a mage with solid defense. You can attack from range and then use swords when you get close to enemies and stuff like that. So there is freedom when it comes to customization. Since respecing is cheap, it’s never a bad idea to change the build and see what these changes bring.
Equipment
All of it comes down to the equipment, which dictates your prowess in combat. There are five different tiers of equipment. If you come into contact with an enemy having a higher tier than you, you will get penalties when you do damage to them, and when they damage you, they will get buffs. The game will let you know through your allies that your equipment needs upgrades.
Avowed suffers from loot-driven gameplay and exploration. There is a limit to how much powerful gear you can get in an area. So once you reach the maximum power in an area, you then need to move to another area with higher-tier loot. This keeps repeating whenever you go to a new area since you are always at the lower end in any new area.
You also have the option to upgrade equipment and keep on using it. However, you will constantly get unique items that will force you to reconsider making equipment upgradability an afterthought. Tier-based areas also encourage you to explore as much of the area as possible before moving out.
The World
After going through the first three or four areas, this rinse-and-repeat system starts to get old. However, that is when Avowed will start to feel fresh once more. Each of the areas is not just a bland area but can be considered a playground. They are filled with mysterious caves, jumping puzzles, and hidden treasures. Wherever you go, whether you are exploring or on a mission, there is always something to be found.
The studio is known for creating immersive RPGs, and it doesn’t lose sight of that here. For a fan of the studio, a newcomer, or a fan of the RPGs, Avowed feels like the game taunts you before finally delivering the experience. There are a lot of choices in the story with consequences which has a huge impact on the story as well as the characters you encounter.
Whenever you are making a decision, one of the characters will always inquire about your decision and want an explanation for it. Characters have some backstory that reveals their motives and sometimes even secrets.
It’s not always the same run because at times the game’s system will collide with its story. Things in the story are forgotten and do not align with your character’s possessions. There are missing consequences to some of your actions. It makes the game feel like your decision matters little in how the world is shaped.
Verdict
You can see the game suffering from having a smaller budget and how it is having an effect on the gameplay and story. It is not a full-on big-budget spectacle from Xbox, and one can see missing parts. The stiff movement and gameplay clearly show that it has limited resources available. It is not exactly an AAA game, but rather an AA game or even a B tier. The sense of fun that it presents is comparable to the 360-era games.
It is a game with a clear goal that knows how these goals are to be achieved. In a lot of ways, it is more than what you would expect from the game. It does not beat around the bush and delivers a straightforward experience in its own sense. If you are a fan of RPGs, then there is definitely something for you to like. Avowed is a game with limited resources and it is aware of that.
Buy from Our Affiliates and Support The Looter Shooters By Clicking on The Image Below
Trailer:Â
