Since its induction in 2003, Obsidian Entertainment have been an asset to the games industry and have always known what makes an RPG click. We saw it in their early days with Star Wars: KOTOR 2 and Fallout: New Vegas and also in the modern era with The Outer Worlds. Even with their past disagreements with each other, they do feel cut from the same cloth as Bethesda and they harness a lot of the same talent. Avowed is their latest work and there is certainly a lot of that depth and quality here that is reminiscent of their work before. However, there is a cutting edge missing that nestles this game into being a solid experience but not reaching any of the heights of its sibling titles or those of which it is constantly compared to online.

In Avowed, you are the Aedyran envoy of the Emperor that has travelled to the Living Lands to investigate the strange appearance of a plague called the Dreamscourge. It is set in the world of Eora, a pre-established world first present in Obsidian’s own Pillars of Eternity. As a result of this, there is already a wealth of lore and different terms to learn right from the jump. Luckily, during dialogue there is the option to open a lore guide that acts as a dictionary for any of the terms the player may not understand. As someone who has not played Pillars of Eternity, this was a welcome addition to at least have a fighting chance with the amount there is to remember. The plot itself is a vessel to explore the Living Lands and it works well in that way. Seeing the different areas of the Living Lands and how the Dreamscourge has affected it is intriguing. The many choices the player has to make can also affect the state of the world quite drastically. You do feel the weight of those changes when looking at the aftermath in the world around you. Although outside of these choices, there is a lot to be desired when it comes to cities and characters.

The cities in this game are quite empty and completely static in their presentation. NPCs are fixed in one position all the time and feel purely functional to the player rather than assets of the world around them. Actually engaging with characters is where things can get even more messy. There is a hefty load of dialogue in this game, even just in the main story and with the amount of different terms thrown at you, it’s no wonder there’s a lore guide. For this reason, the dialogue feels very bogged down by its technicalities and it doesn’t leave room for much else. It can often feel quite wooden and purely there to hasten the plot rather than do anything else. Characters do not feel particularly distinct from one another in how their dialogue is written. Content-wise, it is different, of course, but it is hard to enjoy talking with characters when they just spout another couple terms you’ll need to look up with each interaction.

The companions are where this flaw makes the game suffer as you actively avoid dialogue for fear of getting caught in another whirlwind of information that just will not stick. Companion storylines are also a bit weak and not quite pushed enough. They do not feel weaved well enough to be consistent within the narrative. Kai, for example, is in mourning of someone but unless you are specifically doing his companion quest where he is obviously upset, he is your typical snarky wisecracker and it feels so detached. It was hard to really connect with companions as a result and in a game like this, that is a major issue. It makes picking the companions you travel with come purely down to their combat prowess, rather than how much affection you may have for them.

Combat itself is really fun and easily the most refined part of the game. When thinking of the great RPGs like Skyrim or The Witcher 3, combat is not necessarily something that comes to mind when discussing their overall quality. But here, it is really fun and there is a lot to it. Freedom of choice is where it shines, whether that is being boring and having just a greatsword or mixing it up by rocking a grimoire (spellbook) and a pistol. No matter what you choose, all feel nice to use but the abilities are where it shines. There is a plentiful amount of different abilities to pick from in the Warrior, Ranger and Wizard skilltrees. From multiple spells, to parrying and different passives, there’s options for everything. Frankly, there may even be too many with the amount of skill points you actually get to spend but you always have the option of reallocating your points. Companions have their own abilites too, all of which can be very useful and different. Whether its Giatta’s support spells, or Kai’s more physical and brute force approach, companions are very useful for filling the holes in your ability repertoire.

Upgrades and experience points for abilities all come from exploring the world and doing side quests. It does help that the world your exploring, no matter what area, is beautiful to look at. The world design is nothing special and doesn’t revolutionise anything but the odds are, people that like soaking up a world and stumbling upon a cave with a new sword in it will be pleased. It is addicting to do so, particularly in that beautiful first area. The only thing is upgrading your equipment can feel like such a chore, especially towards the end of the game. It is based on harvesting materials to reach upgrade tier and the amount you need can get ludicrous. You often can’t advance in the story until you have grinded enough to get your equipment to a suitable level. Each hub open-world has an escalating difficulty tier of enemies and you will be pummelled by them if you are not upgrading. This pattern is noticeable at the end of each area’s story and it can get quite tiresome. It does not do the story’s pacing any favours with each inevitable interval the player has to take just to be able to put up a fight.

Avowed has its problems but it is still a satisfying experience. Its fantasy RPG DNA will obviously invite comparisons to the likes of Skyrim but it is not necessarily trying to be this big sprawling RPG epic. It feels very similar to The Outer Worlds in its presentation and although it is not quite as good as that overall, brilliant elements, like its combat, do show that Obsidian still has its talent for making RPGs. It is also nice and refreshing to see a game in today’s age that runs beautifully at launch and has no live-service trappings being shoved down the players’ throats. Obsidian clearly care for their craft and their reputation and with The Outer Worlds 2 also coming soon, there is a lot to be excited for.