Despite some rumours that Microsoft could start the console generation early, the Xbox Developer Direct showed that the future of the Xbox Series X is a bright one. The highest profile title announced at the showcase was undoubtedly Indiana Jones and the Great Circle but don't tell Harrison Ford, it's not the one I'm most excited for.
That honour goes to Avowed an upcoming action RPG from Obsidian. The best way I could describe it is Skyrim with good combat, and that should be enough to get pretty much any gamer excited.
An equally good reason to get excited is Obsidian's track record. Best known perhaps for Fallout: New Vegas but also responsible for the superb The Outer Wolds and the Pillars of Eternity series which shares a universe with Avowed. Check out the deep dive below and I dare you not to get excited.
Skyrim is a game all about storytelling rather than mechanics, while Obsidian seems to have created something with a similarly branching story but also combat more interesting than running at an enemy swinging an axe vaguely in their direction. The gameplay footage above shows players switching between sword and shield style combat, firearms and magic wands on the fly and combining them in unique ways.
The proof will be in the playing of course, but the world also seems to be a refreshing shot of colour and nature, which stands out in the grey dystopias of the likes of Fallout. For those who found 2023's game of the year Baldur's Gate 3 a bit too removed, the first-person perspective and real-time combat has Avowed looking very exciting indeed.
As for when we can get our hands on the game, Obsidian has mooted an Autumn 2024 release so we'll have to find something to fill our time till then. How about a Game Pass title that looks like the weirdest game of 2024?
