What awaits you in Obsidian’s latest role-playing game—and why RPG fans can dive in without hesitation — find out in our Avowed review.
Obsidian Entertainment’s latest RPG, Avowed, makes a strong case for less being more. Designed for PC and Xbox and soon coming to Playstation 5, this is a game that confidently zeroes in on the pillars that have defined the studio’s best work: focused storytelling, rewarding exploration, and punchy, tactical combat. Unlike so many modern RPGs, Avowed has little interest in padding out your playtime with busywork. The world of Eora is refreshingly free of checklist fatigue. There are no endless collectibles, no open-world filler, and mercifully, no lockpicking minigames to break up the action.
Instead of sprawling aimlessly, Avowed is divided into four compact, distinct regions, each ripe for exploration at your own pace. Side quests are anything but throwaway. They feel organically woven into the lore, often drawing you deeper into the game’s history and culture. Some are poignant, others delightfully offbeat, and more than a few are pure treasure hunts. Throughout my 60-plus hours in Avowed, there wasn’t a moment where I questioned the point of what I was doing. Every quest, every detour, felt like it served a purpose. Whether that was character development, world-building, or just a bit of fun.
Character Progression: Simple, Flexible, and Satisfying
Avowed’s class system is refreshingly compact without feeling restrictive. You’re never pigeonholed — mix and match classes, abilities, and weapons as you see fit. At the outset, you’ll pick a background that shapes your dialogue options, then assign your starting attribute points. As you progress, you’ll continue to earn attribute and skill points, letting you adapt your approach as you go.
The core stats form the bedrock of your hero. Beyond that, three further skill trees offer both active and passive abilities, each unlockable in tiers. There are a couple of extra progression wrinkles I won’t spoil here, but suffice it to say, there’s plenty of room for experimentation. And if you ever regret your choices? You can respec at any time for a nominal fee, at least in the early game.
There’s no overt karma or reputation system — feel free to pilfer whatever isn’t nailed down — but the robust dialogue system lets you dial in your character’s personality. You can play as a noble knight, a brash troublemaker, or anything in between. Occasionally, your choices will steer the story in meaningful ways, but don’t expect a branching-narrative behemoth; the really big decisions are few and far between.
Fast, Fluid Combat with a Tactical Twist
Combat is where Avowed really finds its groove. Whether you favor one-handed or two-handed weapons, melee or ranged, the arsenal is varied: greatswords, spears, axes, bows, wands, pistols — each with its own flow and synergies. Weapon upgrades are straightforward: every piece can be improved from common up to legendary status, and some can be enchanted for extra elemental punch. The challenge curve feels just right. Enemies don’t scale to your level, so there’s genuine tension in venturing into the unknown, and good reason to double back to tough areas later.
Battles unfold in real time, but you can pause the action at any moment using the action wheel. This brings a welcome tactical layer: trigger a special ability, direct a companion to heal, or pop a buff item while the world stands still. This system is a lifesaver in the game’s more frantic encounters, especially boss fights, where a single well-timed move can turn the tide.
Avowed’s parkour system deserves a nod as well. While not as flexible as something like Dying Light 2, it lets you run, jump, and climb across the landscape in first-person — switching to third-person whenever you want that over-the-shoulder perspective. Whether scaling mountains or exploring ancient ruins, traversal never feels like an afterthought.
Companions: Light Touch, Lasting Impact
You’ll meet four companions over the course of your journey, each representing one of the Living Lands’ cultures and one of the available classes: melee, ranged, mage, and healer. As you adventure together, you’ll unlock special abilities for each, usable in combat via the action wheel. But you can only bring two companions along at any one time, so choosing your party becomes a meaningful tactical decision.
Companions are well-defined, each with their own quirks and strengths, but don’t expect Baldur’s Gate 3 levels of depth — no romances, limited banter, and relatively compact personal quests (though what’s here is sharply written). Still, if you take the time for optional chats, you’ll see these characters grow and add flavor to the main story. Even when I disagreed with their outlooks, I found myself increasingly invested in the group dynamic over dozens of hours.
Final Verdict: Lean, Polished, and Easy to Recommend
Avowed is Obsidian doing what it does best: building a tightly crafted RPG that plays to its strengths. The central story — a classic fantasy setup involving a curse, a troubled land, and a mysterious godlike envoy — delivers steady tension, even if it rarely breaks new ground.
Visually, Avowed isn’t pushing technical boundaries, but the Living Lands themselves, with their glowing flora and bizarre mushroom-shaped wildlife, are a joy to discover. Exploration, combat, and experimentation are always encouraged and always rewarded. If you’re hunting for a new fantasy universe with rich lore and a low barrier to entry, Avowed is an easy recommendation.
S4G Rating for Avowed
Avowed delivers a gorgeous world and a refreshing focus on what matters most in an Action-RPG. Obsidian plays it safe — this is familiar territory, but executed with skill. If you’re an action RPG fan, this one’s a no-brainer.
Avowed is right for you if you…
- Want a focused RPG with deep lore and minimal filler
- Enjoy tactical, flexible combat systems
- Prefer games that respect your time and reward exploration
Avowed is not right for you if you…
- Expect sprawling open worlds packed with endless side activities
- Want heavy romance options or deep companion subplots
- Need groundbreaking technical visuals
