How Avowed’s Character Background Compare to Pillars of Eternity’s

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How Avowed's Character Background Compare to Pillars of Eternity's

Key Takeaways

  • Avowed simplifies character backgrounds for a more streamlined narrative experience.
  • Pillars of Eternity offered over 20 backgrounds with significant gameplay impact.
  • Avowed’s reduced backgrounds aim to balance accessibility for new players and enhance immersion.

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen the evolution of RPGs from their humble beginnings to the intricate, immersive experiences they are today. Having dabbled in the rich world of Eora through the Pillars of Eternity series, I must admit that the character customization options were a delightful aspect that added layers to my gaming experience.

The upcoming game, “Avowed,” promises a novel viewpoint on the realm of Eora, offering an immersive first-person action RPG experience. This shift in format aims to offer a more interactive and immersive gaming experience compared to its predecessors in the “Pillars of Eternity” series. However, this transition has led to a notable streamlining of one aspect related to character customization.

In the broader realm of role-playing games, the backstory of characters has always been crucial in making the game world feel personal for players. The “Pillars” series notably offered a wide variety of backstories that significantly impacted the mechanics of combat, but the upcoming game “Avowed” is adopting a more simplified method when it comes to shaping the character’s history, offering fewer options to choose from.

Pillars of Eternity’s Robust Background Options

Granularity Immediately Encourages Role-playing

In comparison to the original game and the added complexity of Pillars of Eternity 2, there are more than twenty options for choosing a character background. These backgrounds represent past occupations, shaping various interactions and influencing skills by offering specific bonuses. The range of careers in this selection is extensive, and there are even additional Background Specializations that delve deeper into the individual’s past experiences. For example, a “Scientist” or a “Raider” might have distinct bonuses and dialogue options, and players can even detail their moral choices within that profession and explain why they left that part of their life behind.

In Pillars of Eternity’s world of Eora, you can choose a unique cultural background for your character, in addition to their societal role. This choice not only lets you customize your character’s origin, but also gives a relevant bonus. This extensive customization process was not only engaging during character creation, but it also helped immerse players into the game’s lore by subtly introducing them to the world-building.

Avowed’s Approach to Backgrounds Will Be a Noticeable Trade-off

The Potential for Enhancing Narrative Depth Over Gameplay

In contrast to the extensive array of character backgrounds in previous games, the character creation process for Avowed will be limited to just five options. These seem to have less influence on combat gameplay, streamlining the starting experience for players. One confirmed option is Arcane Scholar. While these choices may not significantly impact skills and attributes as they did in the Pillars system’s cultures and backgrounds, they will provide unique dialogue options. The more cinematic visual style of Avowed could potentially enrich the narrative by offering more tailored moments for each background, creating a deeper immersion in this CRPG. Although the fewer choices may initially suggest a shallower experience, it’s possible that Obsidian has intentionally reduced them to foster greater immersion than ever before in a CRPG.

Balancing Accessibility for Newer Players

For those new to Eora and not familiar with Obsidian’s past games in this universe, simplifying the backstories might make for a more welcoming experience. Since players are forced to take on the role of an Aedyr Empire Envoy, some of the previous character background options may seem mismatched for someone starting with this title. Choosing from over 20 character descriptions might not attract the audience typically drawn to action games, but it could lead to a more accessible release that meets the high expectations set by Avowed‘s new camera perspective since its unveiling.

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2024-09-16 22:23