Schnegman Avowed Review

Just finished the campaign in 60 hours on PC (max settings) and here are my thoughts: Pros Great exploration: The first open zone is pure “let’s see what’s over there” delight, and every region feels meticulously hand-crafted, never procedural. Flexible, punchy combat: Mix any archetypes (my Warrior with some Rogue skills + Sorcerer Battle-Mage was dope af), melee, magic, and acrobatics flow together seamlessly. Gorgeous, colourful vistas: Bioluminescent plants and mushroom the game looks fantastic during the day and spectacular at night. True to Pillars DNA: Rich lore, meaningful choices, a good story, cool companions (took me a bit to warm up to all of them, but in the end I loved the whole crew). Acrobatics add-on: Makes exploration even cooler. Cons Face detail lags behind 2025 standards. Crafting is a major letdown - I wanted deeper equipment and crafting mechanics. Companion tactics feel too simplified; more complexity here would’ve done the game a favour. The last act drags - cutting 10 hours would’ve been perfect. The Long View Avowed feels like Obsidian asked, “What if Pillars of Eternity went first-person?” then answered with confidence. In my opening 15 hours I couldn’t put the mouse down: a gorgeously designed (handcrafted) world, fast-paced combat with tons of freedom to build “your” character. Across four semi-open zones, Avowed nudges you toward vistas or (optional) dungeons instead of cluttering the map with icons. That restraint lets its handcrafted artistry shine and keeps frame-rates solid even with ray tracing on. The downside of its streamlined focus is breadth. Gear crafting, companion AI orders, and talent trees stop evolving well before the finale, so the game’s pull weakens after the 40-hour mark. Still, compared to Dragon Age: The Veilguard- which I enjoyed but found scattershot, Avowed feels tighter, truer to RPG roots, and more fun moment-to-moment. Verdict Avowed isn’t the next Elder Scrolls - and it never tries to be. What it is - a vibrant, performance-polished action-RPG rooted in Eora’s lore - is worthy of the spotlight. If you crave handcrafted worlds, cool combat, and an interesting narrative with meaningful choices, what are you waiting for? Solid: 8 / 10