Summary
There’s somewhat of a stigma on RPG merchants (or at least a recurring stereotype) for a number of reasons, including their suspicious wealth during times of crisis and even their ability to show up in some of the strangest places, thereby giving off supernatural vibes. In a sense,merchants are often featured in RPGsas anything but real individuals, and are essentially little more than glorified vending machines present in a game’s world to benefit players who have the coin to spend. Obsidian Entertainment’sAvowed, however, approaches its merchants in a refreshing way, leaving very little room for that stereotype to present itself.
While it might not have the most living RPG world to date,Avowedstill places a special emphasis on its NPCs, and that is especially true of its merchants. Rather than being the mindless vending machines that vendors are in many other RPGs,Avowed’s merchants have been designed to actually feel like real people. Their dialogue is not merely a copy-and-paste version of every other merchant’s, and their personalities and backstories help further distinguish them from one another to helpAvowed’s Living Lands feel more alive and full than it might have with a bunch of faceless vendors waiting to sell things to players.
Avowed’s Merchants Actually Feel Like People
Avowed’s Merchants Each Have a Unique Personality
The standout feature ofAvowed’s merchants is their unique personality. The lack of personality in RPG merchants is a fairly common issue, especially in older or more mechanically focused RPGs. This is likely due to merchants being more utility than unique character, meaning their only job is to sell and buy items. Since they generally don’t impact the story, developers don’t always invest in making them anything special. This issue is especially prevalent ingames likeThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, where the economies are so large that their vendors need to be faceless in order to streamline their services.
RPG merchants often show their lack of personality in their dialogue as well, repeating the same one or two lines forever, thereby making them feel lifeless.
Avowed’s merchants, on the other hand, each have a unique personality that ultimately makes them feel more like a standard NPC or even a real person, for that matter. In fact, no two merchants inAvowed’s Living Landsare the same, with personalities ranging from charismatic to dull, and from lovable to filled with disdain toward the game’s protagonist. This approach to merchants inAvowedleads to a world that feels more alive and diverse than other RPGs with robotic vendors.
Avowed’s Merchants All Have Their Own Personal Stories and Dialogue
To complement their unique personalities,Avowed’s merchants also have their own personal stories and dialogue. Unlike mostRPG vendors, every merchant inAvowedhas their own backstory, some of which even take a considerable amount of time to tell. On top of that, some merchants inAvowedwill even give players unmarked side quests if they take the time to exhaust every dialogue option, making those merchants useful for more than just the wares that they sell. It’s an excellent method for ensuring thatAvowed’s merchants are simply useful but also add to the life ofAvowed’s vibrant world.
Avowed’s merchants each have a unique personality that ultimately makes them feel more like a standard NPC or even a real person.
Avowedmanages to avoid the usual RPG merchant stigma by giving its vendors a real sense of identity. Instead of feeling like hollow storefronts, these merchants come across as actual people, each with their own quirks, personalities, and even small storylines that players can engage with. This approach makes the Living Lands feel more like an actual place rather than just a backdrop for the story. While manymodern RPGsare happy with letting their merchants blend into the scenery,Avowedensures that they feel like a natural part of its world.
