Summary
Avowedis now out in the wild. Obsidian Entertainment’s long-awaited FPS RPG action title set in the same compelling fantasy world of its previous series,Pillars of Eternity, had been in the works since 2020, and was delayed from late Fall 2024 to February 2025. Now that it’s arrived, fans can finally dive into the dangerousLiving Landsas the Aedyran Envoy, as they are tasked with uncovering the mystery behind the Dreamscourge, a strange supernatural sickness infecting the Lands.
When it was first revealed,Avoweddrew comparisons toThe Elder Scrolls 5:Skyrimdue to their perceived surface similarities. And while this is understandable given that they do share some qualities, Obsidian was clear in the lead-up to launch about the various ways thatAvowedwould differentiate itself fromSkyrimand others like it. One that wasn’t mentioned much (if at all) in this discussion, though, was Arkane Studio’sDishonoredfranchise. However,Avoweddisplays an immersive sim design philosophy closely akin toDishonoredto an extent that is perhaps unexpected, but ultimately to its benefit.
Avowed Shares a Lot in Common With Dishonored’s Designs
Avowed’s Focus on Player Agency Extends to Both Role-Playing and Gameplay
One of Obsidian’s major considerations when designing its titles is anemphasis on player freedom and choice. This is usually most apparent when it comes to role-playing, as the studio tends to give players a wide range of character and dialogue options with many possible reactions to NPCs and decisions that result in varying consequences for quest outcomes.Avowedcertainly has this in spades, and the studio has clearly given the same careful attention to accommodating fans in this area. But this is also true of its gameplay to a degree that, in many ways, resemblesDishonored’s mechanics and how it incorporated them to great effect.
How Avowed Channels Dishonored’s Immersive Sim Stylings
One of its main strengths in imparting an exceptional sense of freedom in gameplay isAvowed’s classless system. By allowing players to choose from among a pool of skills related to traditional archetypes, like fighter or wizard, but not locking them into any specific one,Avowed’s builds open up a wealth of possibilities. For combat, approaching with measured stealth or recklessly rushing in remain equally viable and satisfying due to the flexibility ingrained in this design. Fans can also have two setups and swap between them on the fly to adjust to circumstances accordingly.
Avowedalso mirrorsDishonoredin the form of both containing a mix of magic and technology in their fantasy/steampunk worlds and aesthetics.
Where itsDishonored-like immersive sim elements often shine through best, though, are inAvowed’s level design and environments. These provide an excellent playground for exploration and experimentation. Plotting a path through some ofAvowed’s sprawling cities and cavernous temples brings to mind navigatingDishonored’s luxurious mansions and massive fortresses.Avowedencourages fans to scout locations, and thorough observation usually reveals multiple alternate routes, leading to more convenient angles of entry or attack, while in other cases rewarding valuable loot or interesting world-building lore.
Environments and objects within them are also highly reactive, andAvowedgives players a variety of utility tools in tandem with its selection of skills to interact with them, like ice grenades that can form temporary platforms across otherwise impassable sections to create a path forward. Another example is theCharge ability inAvowed, an attack that doubles as a way to break certain walls and other structures to access additional areas.
Combined with its fluid parkour mechanics and intricate and cleverly laid-out levels,Avowedinvites players to make use of every trick at their disposal to engage in exploration and combat in much the same fulfilling way asDishonored. Along with its other components,Avowed’s breadth of fun and useful optionsmakes it more of an imm sim than might have been advertised, resulting in elevating the entire experience.
