What you need to know
- Avowed is an RPG set in the world of Eora, known from the Pillars of Eternity series.
- We got a new trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase, and today a deep dive podcast with a bunch of new information such as optional third-person play, lore and gameplay information.
- The game is in its final polishing stages.
Today at Summer Game Fest we got a special edition of the official Xbox Podcast, a deep dive into Obsidian's upcoming title Avowed with Carrie Patel, Game Director. We got some official new information about the game today, including news I'm personally overjoyed about —the option to play in third-person.
We also learned that the game is basically done and just in the final polishing stages, which isn't much of a surprise since Obsidian may have accidentally leaked the launch date during the Xbox Games Showcase. Here's everything new we discovered about the world of Avowed, it's gameplay mechanics and what to expect from this new story in the world of Eora.
Avowed is in it's final stage of polish
Talking about the positive response to the game following the Xbox Games Showcase trailer, Carrie Patel remarked, "It's a really exciting part of the development process because you've got so much that's so far along. Your content, your gameplay, your systems, and you're really just investing those final touches, that final layer of polish, like pushing everything to be as good as it possibly can, trying to make smart decisions, not crazy ones." So, from Patel's comments, it seems the game is pretty much done and going through its final stages before launch. That November 12, 2024 date doesn't seem so unrealistic now, huh?
"So yeah, it's really just taking everything that's almost there, and pushing it over the finish line, and really getting to turn this into the game that we all, on the team, want to play, as well."
Avowed, what's it all about?
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Carrie Patel was asked for more insight into what we saw in yesterday's new trailer, and what Avowed is for those not yet in the know, so we now have a clearer idea of the world Obsidian are building here. Avowed is a fantasy action RPG set in the same universe as the Pillars of Eternity games, but with a completely different gameplay style and cast of characters. Yesterday's trailer introduced those characters and how you interact with them in the world of Eora.
"So the very first voice that we hear from at the beginning of the trailer is the emperor of Adayar, your boss, essentially." Adayar is tasking us with a quest to the Living Lands to find the source of a soul plague, named the Dream Scourge.
Next, we are introduced to Inquisitor Lodwyn, who may be a familiar character to those who played Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. Lodwyn believes that there is more to the Dream Scourge than we think, and it is routed in the destructiveness at the heart of the Living Lands, "and in the world of Pillars of Eternity, souls and essence, which is the stuff of souls, it manifests physically. And so she might be on to something."
Giatta, a companion in Avowed, has a different theory that chaos is a part of us, and it makes the Living Lands special. It needn't be tamed. As a player, we must contend with these different theories and make choices in a dangerous and adventurous world, deciding how best to be the envoy of Aedyr in the Living Lands,
Party camp will be your respite for upgrading gear and chatting with companions
Patel also showed off some new gameplay footage. In the footage, the player character fights their way through an area named Emerald Stair with a bow and arrow and switches to a sword for melee combat. The player is having a tough time with these enemies. When entering a new region, the player must upgrade their weapons and gear. Players can upgrade their equipment and manage their inventory at the party camp. Upgrading older gear is crucial for handling tougher enemies in new regions like this.
"You'll have weapons, your own abilities, spells, weapon enchantments, sometimes even your companions who can use their environmental abilities to help you get through barriers like that, again, as you build the character you want to play."
The party camp also serves as a hub where players can engage with their companions, learning their backstories and witnessing banter that brings these characters to life. "One thing we really wanted to create with party camp was this sense that you're adventuring and exploring together through this big wilderness." Later as you get to make harder decisions in the game, your companions may conflict with eachother.
Optional third person mode
For the first time, we've been shown gameplay with a third-person perspective. Players can switch between first-person and third-person based on their preference.
Player choice is at the heart of Avowed
Players will have dialogue options as they progress the story, as well as different options to take when leveling up. Some dialogue options are tied to specific attributes your character has, or specific backgrounds in the game. We even saw a little flirting! These things will add a sense of flavor so each player's experience is slightly different, and perhaps lead to a different outcome.
As for choice in combat, if you want to try out a new set of abilities or approach a particular piece of content differently, you can respec your character. There is a cost associated with respeccing, but if you're willing to pay it, you can experiment with a whole new set of abilities. In the gameplay we were shown a character being respecced into mainly Ranger abilities with a few wizard skills. This new character was able to stealth with a 'Shadowing Beyond' ability, showing there are many ways to approach a fight. Combat involves careful management of abilities and essence. Players encounter various enemy types, each requiring different tactics to defeat.
Our character will be a Godlike, and treated as such
In Avowed, players are Godlikes, beings touched by the gods, identifiable by distinct physical features. Unlike other Godlikes in Eora, the player’s divine connection is a mystery to be explored. Players can choose the manifestation of their Godlike features, from subtle to dramatic changes.
Characters will respond to your Godlike appearance, as you are one of very few left in this world. "Some people think that's very cool. Some people think it's very spooky. So different cultures and individuals have different ways of relating to Godlikes, so you might get some-- you'll get a number of reactions."
Final thoughts
It was great to see some really in-depth footage of Avowed, and it's clear that every layer of this game has been designed with that quintessential dynamic and memorable flavor we've come to expect from Obsidian titles. I'd highly recommend giving the podcast a full watch, it's only around 30 minutes. Now, we just await an official launch date for this exciting addition to Xbox Game Pass.
