The following contains minor spoilers forAvowed’s introduction.
As far as new IPs go, Obsidian Entertainment’sAvowedisn’t typical, as it acts more as a genre shift for the developer’sPillars of Eternityseries. Set in the same universe asPillars of Eternity,Avowedtakes players to theLiving Lands of Eora, where they have been sent by the Aedyran Emperor to investigate a plague known as the “Dreamscourge.” With the deep lore and world-building thatPillars of Eternityis known for, it would make sense forAvowedto ensure players are introduced to that lore in such a way that makes them care about it. Unfortunately,Avowed’s introduction falls somewhat flat, serving as little more than a tutorial, rather than an opportunity to really flesh out its world.
According to Obsidian,Avowedis technically a standalone game. As such, players don’t necessarily need to know anything aboutPillars of Eternitylore in order to enjoy what it has to offer, and that has turned out to be (mostly) true. However independent it may be, though,Avowedprobably could have used a longer introduction to both bridge the gap between it andPillars of Eternityand to more firmly and convincingly establishAvowedas its own game. Unfortunately, its short introduction doesn’t do much for it, leaving its world mostly stranded on the same beach that players wash up on at the start of the game.
Avowed’s Brief Introduction Doesn’t Do Much for It
The core issue withAvowed’s brief introduction is that it lacks a surprising amount of substance. On the one hand, it gets players into its flashy action fairly quickly, and since longer, more cinematic introductions can sometimes take the wind out of a player’s sails before they’ve even started playing a game, that is certainly an upside. On the other hand, however,Avowedis so steeped in loreand an intriguing world that its introduction arguably needed to be more than a mere method for guiding players through its mechanics.
Avowedbegins with a somewhat creepy show-and-tell cinematic that introduces the Dreamscourge, after which the player’s mission to the Living Lands is lined out. Once gameplay begins, players are quickly introduced toAvowed’s combat and exploration mechanics, along with a couple of the game’s characters. Unfortunately, not only do neither of these characters really have any major impact onAvowed’s story, but the introduction almost abruptly ends right when its about to hit its stride, and players arrive at Dawnshore like they have just awakened from a bad dream.
With a longer introduction,Avowedcould have spent more time establishing its world, the role of the protagonist in it, and even given them some more time with the characters.
The Introduction Could Have Been a Bridge Between Avowed and Pillars of Eternity
Rather than attempting to bridge the gap between it andPillars of Eternity,Avowed’s introduction somewhat denies the fact that it has no connection to its spiritual predecessor by neglecting to devote more time to fleshing out the universe. Of course, those who have playedPillars of Eternityand are familiar with its lore will already feel at home when they startAvowed. However,Avowedis indeed a standalone game, and since its introduction largely feels like players have been thrown into the middle of something rather than being given the chance to greet it on their own terms, that can leave newcomers feeling like the part they have to play in the story doesn’t mean much.
As a result,Avowed’s introduction may be more barrier than bridge forPillars of Eternitynewcomers. Given the emphasis the game places on its narrative and lore, it arguably needed to spend more time gradually immersing players into its world if it hoped to give them a truly compelling reason for being there in the first place.
