Avowed Reviews
Avowed is an excellent RPG that showcases Obsidian’s strengths—fantastic writing, immersive world-building, and meaningful choices. However, it doesn’t necessarily bring anything revolutionary to the genre. While it executes its inspirations well, I kept waiting for a moment that would make it feel truly unique, something that would set it apart as a must-play experience rather than just a very good one.
Avowed had everything I wanted in an epic, open-world RPG except for that steady flow of narrative. I want the RPG I'm playing to suck me in with its story and keep me playing with its gameplay. When one of those elements is lacking, the game feels like a chore for long periods.
Despite Obsidian's incredible history with the RPG genre, Avowed unfortunately comes up short compared to their previous games. Even if the gameplay foundation is very addicting, the lack of any meaningful story, dialogue, narrative decisions, and an overabundance of necessary XP grinding and technical issues lead the game to embody the worst parts of the genre. Sadly, it fails to stick out in comparison to games such as Cyberpunk 2077 or Baldur's Gate 3.
If you’re a fan of Eora and the Pillars of Eternity games, if you love exploring environments and hunting for better loot, if you enjoy a simple yet engaging story, and if you’re after a single-player experience, Avowed could be a good fit for you. Being available on Game Pass from day one also makes it much easier to recommend. However, if you’re looking for deep RPG systems or complex combat, if high-end visuals and technical performance are a priority, or if you simply don’t care for fantasy settings, there’s a chance Obsidian’s latest creation might not be to your liking.
Review in Persian | Read full review
It’s a blast to play, reducing a lot of the friction in the RPG mechanics while gaining strides in the action department. It feels good in the hands in ways that its contemporaries don’t, zipping the player all around the map.
“Avowed: Where every choice shapes your destiny in a breathtakingly alive fantasy world.”
Avowed is a charming, old-fashioned fantasy RPG reminiscent of The Elder Scrolls series that teaches players to be mindful of their words.
Avowed is a game that RPG fans simply cannot afford to miss. Whether you’re drawn in by its Skyrim-like exploration or Pillars of Eternity lore, this is a journey worth taking. Obsidian continues to prove that they make some of the best RPGs in the industry, and Avowed is no exception. In short: Don’t skip this game. It’s a must-play. Avowed truly aWOWed us!
Avowed is the most comprehensively captivating fantasy experience since Skyrim. It’s a triumph of old-school role-playing that combines the thrills of Dungeons and Dragons with a sense of joyous wonder I haven’t experienced in years.
Avowed is a solid action RPG that delivers an outstanding experience, from the storytelling that is both nuanced and impactful to the freedom to shape the course of events through your choices to the satisfying combat that blends melee, ranged, and magical abilities.
Avowed is almost a good game. Its meaningful choices and excellent combat are held back by a trite gameplay loop of open but not-quite-open zones with poor scaling and a bafflingly bad tier system for your gear.
While its core story can occasionally feel needlessly convoluted, Avowed's combat system is arguably one of the best in the genre. Round this out with a colorful cast of likable companions, some fun exploration, gorgeous locales and smooth performance, and you have an RPG that will satiate fans of the genre, while serving as an accessible launch pad for any greenhorns out there.
Avowed is a real tour de force, one of the few games released by Xbox that are of exemplary quality. Quite unlike a Halo entry. People will inevitably compare this to Elder Scrolls but that is quite disingenuous as Avowed goes for something starkly different and way more focused. This game is succinct, polished, pretty and very fun to play. Narratively things take on some interesting concepts propelling the mainline quests through a series of exciting developments. It might not twang everyone’s heartstrings but it might take over their brains like a little fungus monster.
With my journey complete, I can admit that I expected a little more from Avowed. While it offers truly fun combat, a deep story, and great maps to explore, some issues may put players off, such as its complex dialogues and simplified RPG mechanics. Furthermore, the upgrade system can become a real problem if not used correctly. Avowed certainly entertained me, but I expected bigger surprises.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Avowed is a true Obsidian RPG: it's narratively solid, easy to learn and combat-focused. It's unexpectedly pleasing to the eye and it features an improved level design, leading to an intricate and beautiful map that is also fun to explore. What Avowed lacks is polishing and interactivity: its world is very static and its technical aspects leave much to be desired.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Avowed may not redefine the action-RPG genre, but it still delivers a brilliant experience that’ll keep players enthralled from start to end. With an engaging story, meaningful choices, rewarding exploration, and wonderfully flexible combat, it’s a game that will undoubtedly keep fans of the genre very, very happy, and shows that Obsidian Entertainment certainly haven’t lost their touch when it comes to providing immersive RPG experiences.
Avowed is a derivative, but tightly constructed game, with reinforced edges so nothing spills over. It’s probably the easiest RPG to get into in years, and extremely suitable for total beginners.
Avowed makes the most of its solid story with well-written allies and fluid combat with plenty of ways to tackle challenges while maintaining a colorful twisted world design begging to be explored.
Avowed blends traditional RPG elements with modern accessibility, offering satisfying combat, meaningful choices, and rewarding exploration. Set in the world of Eora, the game delivers a well-designed experience with a focus on character-driven storytelling. Some boss fights feel underwhelming, and minor graphical hiccups and load times hold it back from perfection, but the immersive world and dynamic gameplay make it a worthwhile adventure for RPG fans.
Obsidian Entertainment brings the world of Eora to life with a fresh perspective, bringing players closer to the action. A well-tailored story, engaging combat, and reactive companions all make for an enjoyable adventure from start to finish.