As a seasoned fantasy enthusiast and veteran gamer with years of experience under my belt, I must say that the upcoming game Avowed has certainly piqued my interest. The magic system seems to be intricate and layered, which is something I personally appreciate in a game of this genre. However, I can understand how it might intimidate newcomers or those who prefer a more straightforward approach.
In the hands of Obsidian Entertainment, the game titled Avowed breathes new life into the cherished setting of Pillars of Eternity, converting the isometric series into a dynamic action role-playing experience. As an emissary from the Aedyr Empire, players venture deep into the untamed territories of The Living Lands to uncover the mystery behind the Dream Scourge.
At Gamescom, Game Rant got to spend an hour with the game Avowed. The initial demonstration ran for approximately 30-40 minutes, and after it ended, we had the opportunity to replay it using a different version of the game. During our demo, we were offered three distinct character archetypes: Barbarian, Mage, and Ranger. However, it’s important to note that these weren’t actual in-game classes; they served as templates. Avowed offers a classless leveling system, allowing players to create and embody whatever fantasy they desire by combining different types of melee, magical, and ranged weaponry. The demo provided a solid sense of the combat mechanics, while also offering a rich banquet of lore details.
Avowed’s Demo and Gameplay Are Solid
In the demo of Avowed, we were confined to an enclosed, cavernous environment where our mission was to locate missing explorers. As we delved into this intricate network of caves, we encountered a variety of mystical creatures for our initial combat encounters. One aspect that stood out during gameplay is that the first-person view in Avowed has a somewhat “floaty” sensation, resembling games like Dying Light rather than more earthbound perspectives such as Skyrim. This offers increased movement freedom, but can also produce an unusual, unstable sensation. It’s important to mention that Avowed includes a third-person mode as well, in case this particular perspective and its feel are not to your liking.
During our journey with our trusted ally Kai by our side, we stumbled upon a distressed explorer on his deathbed. In classic fashion, he lamented about dying a virgin before he met his end. We had the option to either administer one of our healing potions or choose not to and let him pass away. We tested both possibilities during our test runs, but neither seemed to make much difference in the outcome. However, holding life or death power over a virgin’s fate always brought a chuckle.
As I delved halfway through this intricate labyrinth, I encountered an enigmatic figure known as Sargamis, a being of divine origin much like myself. His form was resplendent gold and his age seemed ancient beyond comprehension. Engaging in conversation with him was a rare pleasure indeed. He discussed his bond with his deity, hinted at our own divine nature (as we too are hearing voices and have never communicated with our unseen god before), and revealed that only a select few of the divine survived – the rest having perished. He subtly alluded to events from Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, thereby creating an atmosphere reminiscent of the game’s world, Eora, despite its departure into a different genre. Lastly, he entrusted me with a mission to venture deeper into the cave system in search of something valuable, yet expressed uncertainty about the fate of those who had ventured there before us. I harbored doubts about his veracity, but pressed onward nonetheless.
Upon finishing his assignment, we encountered a swarm of adversaries followed by a mini-boss, an intriguing situation since we could have skipped the explorers as it was marked optional. We planned to go back for them during our second playthrough of the demo, but time ran out before we reached that point. However, going back and realizing he was the one responsible for eliminating the explorers triggered a boss fight with him, concluding our demo experience.
Avowed Barbarian
For our first demo run, we chose the “Barbarian” archetype since it seemed likely to be the simplest form of Avowed‘s combat. This build saw us dual-wielding two one-handed weapons, but we could also swap to a secondary, which was a heavy two-handed weapon. When dual-wielding, it’s impossible to block because the same button controls that secondary weapon; we could only block with the two-handed weapon. In both loadouts, we were able to charge both our light attacks and heavy attacks. It also came complete with two abilities, one of which was the classic crowd-pushing yell and the other was a forward slam.
In addition, we had items for long-range combat against enemies, which turned out to be user-friendly and straightforward. Just as anticipated, it felt true to form for a “Barbarian” type character. Managing crowds often required keeping enemies apart and navigating the battlefield, but this setup allowed us to exert our physical might, plowing through the cave with ease. In terms of mechanics, aesthetics, and immersion, Avowed effortlessly captures that fantasy stereotype.
Avowed Mage
Instead of being drawn towards the firearms in Avowed‘s “Ranger” build, we opted to explore the magical aspects of the game by selecting the “Mage” archetype. This choice equipped us with a main loadout that included both a wand and a grimoire, each functioning uniquely. One grimoire allowed us to engage in close-quarter combat using summoned weapons, while another provided a variety of ranged spells. Our wands, as expected, unleashed magical damage from afar, with our abilities also relying on our magic supply. The intricacy of our spells was fueled by a limited magic resource, but the demo offered us an abundance of magic potions to replenish it. It’s worth mentioning that this combat style was significantly more intricate than the “Barbarian” build, yet it still embodied the classic fantasy archetype. Due to our brief experience with the “Mage,” we were still learning the specific controls and spells, which was both thrilling and somewhat overwhelming.
For enthusiasts diving headfirst into the magical fantasy realm, there’s an abundance of choices available, which is fantastic! However, it appears that mastering the magic system in ‘Avowed’ might present a steeper learning curve compared to a character focused on melee combat. Players should be aware that managing multiple spells as shortcuts, radial menu options, and wand choices can become quite complex. Fortunately, the complete game will allow players to customize their experience by combining skills as they prefer. During our demonstration, an opponent dropped a pistol, which we exchanged for one of our wands. This not only offered a rewarding combat experience but also simplified the battle dynamics by making them more accessible and easier to understand.
Avowed’s Kai Comes In Like a Wrecking Ball
On our journey, we had Kai, a nimble coastal warrior who values agility over fortification. Despite his preference for swiftness, he’s no slouch when it comes to delivering powerful blows. In addition to our other comrades, we could access a menu to give him specific orders. Occasionally, these commands were to use an ability designed for puzzle-solving, other times they were to attack enemies with an elemental strike. Our favorite command, however, was one that made him leap and slam down, creating a small area of effect. This move was particularly effective at dispersing groups of enemies and was visually entertaining. Kai also proved useful in distracting enemies during direct combat, though there were moments when he seemed to stand idle. This issue is not uncommon in games with companion systems, but we’re hopeful that it will be addressed by the release of Avowed in February.
Avowed’s Treatment of Lore Is Pitch Perfect
In the demo for Avowed, the experience was captivating, the jokes were well-timed, the challenges were clear and manageable, and the overall battle system effectively embodied classic fantasy tropes. However, what truly set Avowed’s demo apart was its handling of lore. There was a genuine fear that with Pillars of Eternity transitioning to an action RPG and delving into the previously uncharted Living Lands, this new installment could potentially feel disconnected from its roots. But, fortunately, this wasn’t the case. Sargamis served as a fascinating glimpse into Avowed’s lore and how things have evolved since Pillars of Eternity 2. Moreover, fans no longer need to rely solely on their memories to satiate their curiosity about the lore, as there are now additional resources available.
It’s noteworthy that ‘Avowed’ can be fully played without requiring extensive knowledge of ‘Pillars of Eternity’, but for those seeking a deeper understanding or needing to refresh their memory, there’s an excellent tooltip feature. Similar to the Active Lore System in ‘Final Fantasy 16’, this tooltip function underscores important terms and allows players to delve deeper into their meaning if they wish. From basic explanations of gods to more complex lore like details about key events, it served as a helpful guide, much like explaining who a god is or the significance of a historical event. Although accessing and reading these tooltips could be a bit cumbersome due to the vast amount of information, it catered to the same curiosity as exploring wikis to learn everything about a specific lore detail. Essentially, it functions like an in-game wiki, and we often found ourselves engrossed in them for pure reading pleasure.
In essence, Avowed is a Role-Playing Game (RPG) that embodies the spirit of Obsidian RPGs. It possesses the distinctive genetic code that has always set Obsidian games apart, and while it provides just a taste of what’s to come, we can’t wait for the main course.
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2024-08-27 00:05