A big part of what makes Avowed one of the year’s best games isn’t its punchy combat or remarkable art direction, but its efficient use of player time. Across its 30 to 50 hour runtime, Avowed cuts much of the fat that players come to expect from similar games in the open-world RPG genre while still feeling like a grandiose fantasy adventure.
Every part aspect of exploring The Living Lands, from the way leveling and gear works, the scale of its four open-world hubs, the frequency of its side quests, and even its dialogue trees, makes each passing hour feel meaningful and optimized to push the player forward at a steady pace. Avowed’s director Carrie Patel says that the no-frills approach to Avowed’s very familiar formula is by design and a staple of Obsidian Entertainment’s philosophy.
