What to Expect From Avowed’s Third-Person Mode

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What to Expect From Avowed's Third-Person Mode

Highlights

  • Avowed, a fantasy RPG by Obsidian Entertainment, will feature a third-person mode for players who prefer it.
  • Despite a focus on first-person mode during marketing, third-person offers a unique perspective with cinematic potential.
  • Third-person mode could attract players who prefer customization and cinematic experiences in RPGs.

As a long-time fan of RPGs who has spent countless hours customizing characters and exploring vast worlds, I couldn’t be more thrilled about the inclusion of a third-person mode in Avowed. My first encounter with the third-person perspective was in Fallout: New Vegas back in 2010, and it felt like a game-changer for me. It allowed me to truly appreciate the hard work I put into my character’s appearance, and it added a cinematic flair that made every adventure feel more epic.

Among Microsoft’s eagerly awaited games slated for next year is Avowed. This game is developed by Obsidian Entertainment, a studio known for creating masterpieces like Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Wilds. Avowed is an RPG set within the universe of Pillars of Eternity, offering significant weight to both player choices and combat. Although it shares similarities with Obsidian’s previous RPG games, one much-anticipated feature allows players to explore the Living Lands from different viewpoints.

In contrast to the widespread praise for the game The Outer Worlds, there was a conspicuous lack of a feature commonly found in Bethesda-style RPGs: the option to switch to a third-person viewpoint. This omission sparked disappointment among many players, who were perplexed as to why they had spent time customizing characters only to view them exclusively through menus. Additionally, those with motion sickness were dismayed by the absence of the perspective change feature. Notably, this feature was included in the gameplay for Fallout: New Vegas, which was released as far back as 2010. However, in a positive turn of events, Obsidian Entertainment has confirmed that players will have the choice to play their upcoming game, Avowed, in third-person mode.

Everything Known About Third-Person Mode in Avowed

In a deep dive interview on Xbox’s YouTube channel last June, Game Director Carrie Patel disclosed that the upcoming game, Avowed, will offer a third-person mode for players who prefer it over first-person view. Patel explained that while most of the footage showcased was in first-person, there is indeed an option for third-person perspective for those who find it more appealing. Interestingly, during the entire presentation, this third-person view could only be observed once when a player character switched from first-person to third-person while exploring the party camp in Avowed. However, as of now, no combat or open-world exploration using the third-person perspective has been demonstrated.

It seems reasonable to infer that since Obsidian has heavily marketed their upcoming game, Avowed, emphasizing the first-person mode, they might have dedicated more resources to this aspect of the game. If it’s similar to other RPGs like Fallout: New Vegas that offer a toggle for third-person perspective, it’s expected that this view will come with distinctive animations. However, as the only available animations to compare at this stage are walk cycles, we can’t yet determine how well the rest of the third-person animations will hold up compared to those in the default first-person view.

The Pros of Third-Person in Games Like Avowed

Still, having third-person mode as an option can only benefit the game. The mode will not only be a plus for those already planning to play the game, but it has the potential to draw in players who might have skipped out on the game if it only offered a first-person experience. Being able to view the protagonist while exploring the world or switch to third-person during a climactic boss fight to show off the many combat options in Avowed can make the game much more cinematic. In RPGs that allow for in-depth character customization, people love toggling into third-person to inspect and appreciate the character they meticulously crafted or the armor set they spent hours collecting.

When to Play Avowed’s Third-Person Mode

Originally planned for a Fall 2024 launch, the game “Avowed” has been postponed to February 18, 2025. Microsoft explained that this shift wasn’t due to doubts about the game but rather to avoid clashing with numerous other Microsoft games slated for 2024, such as “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” and “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle”. Upon its release, “Avowed” will be playable on Xbox Series X and PC, and it will also be accessible through Xbox Game Pass.

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2024-08-08 14:03