Avowed – 15 New Details You Need to Know

by

The excitement for the upcoming action RPG, Avowed, remains high as developers Obsidian Entertainment and Microsoft continue to share new information about it. Previously, we’ve delved into many of these details, but there’s still much more to discuss. So, let’s explore a few additional important aspects about this game that you should be aware of.

NO LEVEL SCALING

As a passionate RPG enthusiast, I can’t help but appreciate games that allow me to truly feel my character’s growth. Unlike some titles where enemies adjust their level alongside yours, the upcoming game “Avowed” promises an exciting exception. In a recent interview with MinnMax, Carrie Patel, the game director, confirmed that “Avowed” will not employ level scaling. This means that enemy levels won’t increase as you advance in the game, providing a satisfying sense of progression and allowing me to truly appreciate the gap between myself and weaker enemies I’ve left behind.

NO TRADITIONAL CLASSES

Regarding Obsidian’s focus on player autonomy in their game Avowed, they have opted to eschew traditional character classes for a more customizable experience. Instead of confining your character within predefined categories, the game offers players the flexibility to mold their character as they desire through progression. As Game Rant reports, lead designer Patel explained this approach: “Instead of restricting players to specific character types, we have empowered them to create their own unique characters. While you can certainly design a character based on a particular type from the outset and play it consistently, it’s entirely up to the player to adhere to one style if they choose.

SKILL TREES

In the game Avowed, let’s explore how character progression is specifically designed: You’ll advance by leveling up, which grants you skill points to be allocated across five distinct skill sets. These are the Fighter, Ranged, Wizard, and Companion trees. The Fighter and Ranged trees enhance your melee and ranged combat abilities respectively. The Wizard tree focuses on magical spells. Lastly, the Companion tree is dedicated to improving your team of companions. To clarify, this is a more detailed look at the progression system in Avowed, building upon our previous discussions about leveling up and skill points.

CHOICES AND COMPANIONS

In the game “Avowed,” as is typical of an Obsidian production, your companion characters will play a crucial part. The choices you make in the game will influence how your companions perceive and interact with you, potentially affecting whether they choose to stay by your side. During your main and side quests, these companions will have unique thoughts and opinions about your decisions, although the extent to which you can shape their stories is yet to be determined. (Xbox Wire’s Berto Ritger provided this information.)

NO OPTIONAL COMPANIONS

For some time now, it’s been clear that “Avowed” features a main quartet of companion characters: Kai, Giatta, Marius, and Yatzli. Notably, these characters won’t be missable, as game director Carrie Patel explained in an interview with MinnMax. In addition to this core group, it appears there will be other temporary allies who join you in battle occasionally.

VOICE CAST

In the voice cast for its sidekicks, Avowed features some well-recognized talents. Kai is brought to life by Brandon Keener, who is widely recognized as the voice of Garrus Vakarian from Mass Effect. Next up is Mara Junot, who has roles in Destiny 2 and Mortal Kombat 1, among others, and plays Giatta. Marius is played by Scott Whyte, whose credits include Captain Quark in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart and Crash in Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. Lastly, Yatzli is voiced by Anjali Bhimani, who is widely known for her portrayal of Symmetra in Overwatch.

CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS

In the game Avowed, you’ll have the opportunity to choose from five distinct character backgrounds that will influence how other characters behave towards you and provide special dialogue options at specific instances. For example, if you select the Noble Scion background, your character will be from a noble family who is trying to gain favor with the Emperor after their family’s fortunes took a turn for the worse. Conversely, if you choose the War Hero background, your character will have earned a reputation through a particularly brutal battle.

MORE CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS

For individuals who enjoy incorporating a touch of deception and intrigue into their RPG gameplay, playing as a Court Augur character could be appealing. Originally a fortune-teller from the backstreets, this character has risen to become a trusted mystic advisor to the Emperor himself. Alternatively, the Vanguard Scout background highlights a character who excels in tracking, espionage, and similar skills. Lastly, the Arcane Scholar background paints your character as an expert scholar dedicated to serving the Emperor.

LORE GUIDE

As a passionate gamer, I’m always drawn to games by Obsidian for their deep and captivating backstories. With the upcoming game, Avowed, being set in the intricate world of Pillars of Eternity, it’s clear that we can expect more of the same immersive lore. For those who wish to delve even deeper into the tale, Avowed will also include a lore guide reminiscent of the Active Time Lore in Final Fantasy 16, allowing you to effortlessly access contextual lore and facts during conversations about various topics.

MORE WEAPON VARIETY

In our previous discussion, we delved into the various types of weapons found within the game. However, fresh details have emerged about these weapons. Typically, role-playing games (RPGs) thrive on player autonomy and strategic decision-making, where every choice counts. It appears that this trend will persist in Avowed, with a significant emphasis on combat mechanics as well. What’s captivating is the vast array of weapons the game promises. Previously, we mentioned swords, hammers, crossbows, wands, and pistols. Now, we can anticipate weapons like daggers, maces, and even two-handed ones such as greatswords. In essence, players in Avowed will have the freedom to engage enemies using a diverse range of weaponry. As previously mentioned, dual-wielding is set to be a prominent aspect, and players are encouraged to experiment with different combinations.

ENDINGS

In Avowed, the exact number of unique endings hasn’t been specified by Obsidian yet, but there are hints available. For example, we know that the game includes at least ten different ending slides. During an interview with IGN, game director Carrie Patel revealed that players’ actions will determine the ending they receive, resulting in various combinations. “I can assure you that our ending slides total more than 10, and depending on your choices throughout the game across multiple aspects of content, you can end up with a variety of these combinations.” This is typical of an Obsidian game, as your ending is essentially a reflection of all the decisions you made during gameplay.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CREDITS ROLL?

In simpler terms, it appears that Avowed may not permit players to carry on playing the game once the ending credits start rolling. However, this isn’t definitively known as the developer has hinted during an interview with MinnMax that players can initiate a new game after the credits finish and there is a critical point in the game beyond which it’s impossible to return.

EXPLORATION AND OPTIONAL CONTENT

In the realm of RPG enthusiasts, particularly those fond of Obsidian’s creations, there tends to be a great deal of anticipation. It appears that “Avowed” is no exception, as it seems to be striving for greatness. For some time now, we have been aware that “Avowed” will not offer an open-world experience but instead will adopt a semi-open world structure. This means players will traverse from one large zone to another in a sequential manner. Each of these zones will be rich with optional content, secrets, and more, ensuring that no two player’s experiences are the same. As Carrie Patel, game director for “Avowed,” shared with Xbox Wire, “We understand that those who discover these secrets and experiences will have the same feeling of delight and surprise you mentioned. What sets RPGs apart, what makes our RPGs unique, is the concept that we’re creating a vast amount of content. We know that no player will have an identical experience, and part of the fun and reward comes from finding something and thinking, ‘I found this on my own, I wonder how many others did.’

HOW DO REGIONS UNLOCK?

Will the open-world exploration be available from the start in Avowed? The developers have confirmed that while you’ll need to progress through the game to access all regions, you can generally revisit previously unlocked areas if you prefer. Therefore, to fully explore the game’s world, you’ll need to advance through the storyline.

GRAPHICS MODES

In an interview with MinnMax, Carrie Patel, the game director, has confirmed that the game “Avowed” can run at up to 60 frames per second (FPS) on Xbox Series X. While more specific details haven’t been disclosed yet, it appears that leaks have provided some additional information. According to a leak by extas1s on Twitter, players will also have options for running the game at 30 FPS and 40 FPS on Xbox Series X. These modes will also be accessible on Xbox Series S, but it seems that a 60 FPS option might not be available for the Series S version of the game.

Read More

2025-02-14 00:12