Summary
In classic Obsidian Entertainment fashion,Avowedis very much about the choices that players make, especially when it comes to the game’s narrative. ThroughoutAvowed’s story and its side quests, players are given countless opportunities to make defining decisions that impact the outcome of those narratives in both major and minor ways. Regardless of where they are at or what they are doing inAvowed, players are almost always faced with an opportunity to choose, with some of those choices boiling down to complex moral dilemmas that would challenge anyone to think twice.
Freedom of player choice is arguably whereAvowedshines, no matter what other areas it may fall short in. Many of these choices are made in the game’s dialogue, which not only offers players an unprecedented number of paths to take but is also unpredictable in its design. Players never know whether aconversation inAvowedis going to allow them to exhaust every possible line of dialogue or whether they will simply have to come to terms with their choices once they are made. This unpredictability is especially felt in some ofAvowed’s biggest moral dilemmas, where players are faced with decisions that are going to disappoint someone, no matter how hard they attempt to wriggle out of it.
Avowed’s Moral Ambiguity Is a Refreshing Change of Pace
Most Choice-Driven RPGs Are Too Black and White
What causesAvowed’s choice systemto stand out so well is the path that many other RPGs take in their own choice systems. Specifically, most choice-driven RPGs paint too clear a picture of right and wrong, good and evil, thereby essentially stripping players of their power to choose. If players become aware of the fact that choosing one route over another will benefit them more, they will simply choose that path and not think twice about it. Generally, this preferred path is the route to a “good” character, and it makes the path to evil less appealing for multiple reasons.
Many choice-driven RPGs, therefore, are criticized for offering the illusion of choice rather than the real thing. Great examples of games where the choices don’t really matter (at least, significantly) areBioShockandCyberpunk 2077.
Avowed’s Biggest Moral Dilemmas Will Leave Anyone Stumped
Avowed, on the other hand, steers clear of the traditional black-and-white choice system of the role-playing genre by offering players an immense amount of freedom to shape, not only the personality and arc of their own character and the relationships they have with others, but also the outcome of the story. Rather than offering players two clear paths to take that are distinctly black and white,Avowedspecializes inmoral ambiguityto leave even the most seasoned role-players stumped.
Players may be presented with a dual set of paths to take inAvowed, but those two options won’t be as clearly good and evil as they would likely be in a different RPG. Instead, players might be presented with two choices inAvowedthat are neither good nor evil, but simply two choices that will unavoidably make someone the player cares about upset. Given how oftenchoice-driven RPGslike to hold the player’s hand when it comes to decisions such as these,Avowed’s moral dilemmas are a nightmare indeed, but a nightmare worth having.
Freedom of player choice is arguably whereAvowedshines, no matter what other areas it may fall short in.
By refusing to categorize choices into simple “good” or “evil” paths,Avowedforces players to engage with its narrativein a way that feels deeply personal and, at times, uncomfortably real. Every decision carries weight, not just in how it shapes the story, but in how it challenges players to confront and accept the consequences of their actions. In doing so,Avoweddelivers one of the most compelling choice-driven experiences in the genre, proving that true role-playing isn’t about chasing the best outcome but about living with the choices one makes.
