Avowed Leaning Into its Body Horror Could Make it Xbox’s ‘The Last of Us’

by

Avowed Leaning Into its Body Horror Could Make it Xbox's 'The Last of Us'

Highlights

  • Avowed’s Dreamscourge plague and enemies resemble the Cordyceps infection from The Last of Us.
  • The Last of Us made an impression with its Cordyceps foes and gripping characters.
  • Based on these and a few other similarities, Avowed could potentially be closely compared to The Last of Us and become Xbox’s own version of it.

As a longtime fan of both RPGs and narrative-driven games, I’ve been eagerly anticipating Obsidian Entertainment’s upcoming project, Avowed. Having grown up with classics like Baldur’s Gate and Fallout, and more recently immersing myself in the rich worlds of Pillars of Eternity and its sequel, Deadfire, I’m excited to see how Avowed will expand upon the lore and background of this intriguing universe.

Avowed is Obsidian Entertainment’s anticipated upcoming project, a first person dark fantasy RPG set in the mysterious Living Lands, part of the greater world of Eora established in the studio’s two CPRG titles, Pillars of Eternity and its sequel, Deadfire. Avowed will be taking much of its background and lore from the world building seen in the PoE entries, although the developer has also been quite clear that it won’t be necessary for fans to have played them to understand and enjoy Avowed. Instead, Avowed will offer a fresh adventure and experience, using Eora as a jumping off point to spin a completely new tale in the previously unseen region.

In the intriguing narrative and design of Avowed, one significant element is the enigmatic and unsettling epidemic referred to as the Dreamscourge, spreading through the Living Lands. This strange affliction is reportedly affecting humans, animals, and nature itself, causing disturbances that echo elements from Naughty Dog’s exclusive Sony franchise, The Last of Us. In this series, the terrifying Cordyceps infection transforms people into gruesome, mushroom-covered monsters. With a similar theme at play, there is a possibility that Avowed could become Xbox’s unique interpretation of TLOU.

The game called “Avowed” is scheduled to come out in the fall as an exclusive addition to Game Pass on its release day. According to earlier rumors, it might be launched on November 12, 2024; however, this isn’t officially verified yet.

Avowed Playing Into its Body Horror Stylings May End Up Making it XBox’s ‘The Last of Us’

The Last of Us Reimagined and Reshaped the ‘Infected Zombie’ Enemy Type

Counted among the many reasons for its popularity, The Last of Us‘ Cordyceps fungal infection took the well-worn zombie enemies that had become ubiquitous in gaming and put a freshly horrifying spin on them via their vision and design. Though they functioned more or less the same as standard zombies mechanically in some ways, their visually striking and disturbing appearance along with the lore explanations behind them made them all the more terrifying. Once players found out exactly how the infection changed people, and were forced to face them in various forms in each entry, The Last of Us stood out as having some of the best, and most warped, body horror in modern games.

How Avowed’s Dreamscourge Disease Could Mirror The Last of Us’ Cordyceps Zombies

In the latest gameplay trailer for “Avowed,” as well as previously shared details, the impact of the Dreamscourge on the Living Lands’ populace and environment appears strikingly similar to that of “The Last of Us.” The afflicted individuals are overtaken by gruesome fungal growths, which in turn make them extremely aggressive. This recalls the Cordyceps from “The Last of Us.” There is still much more to be discovered about “Avowed’s” Dreamscourge-infected adversaries, and if this theme continues to develop, it may lead to even more comparisons to “The Last of Us” in this respect.

From a gamer’s perspective, I’ve noticed a significant difference between playing “Avowed” and “The Last of Us.” In “The Last of Us,” the experience is mostly linear, meaning the story follows a predetermined path. Characters in this game come with their own distinct personalities, backstories, and motivations that are established before the game begins.

Read More

2024-07-16 20:53