




Avowed: The Classic RPG We Need Right Now
When I played The Outer Worlds in 2019, I was underwhelmed. As a big fan of Fallout: New Vegas, I was excited for Obsidian’s next venture, but its retro style felt outdated and uninspired. Instead of celebrating the classic RPG formula, it seemed to lack the depth and scale of its predecessors. Compounding my disappointment, the game launched just 10 days after Disco Elysium, a groundbreaking RPG that revitalized old-school concepts with innovative storytelling and gameplay. In contrast, The Outer Worlds felt like a relic.
Fast forward to Avowed, Obsidian’s new RPG, and I feared history might repeat itself. Early previews suggested a scaled-down Skyrim-inspired adventure with few innovations. After playing about four hours of the preview build, I can say… well, that’s not entirely untrue. But this time, it feels like a comforting return to classic RPG adventure rather than a regression.
Timing Matters
The RPG landscape in 2024 is very different. There hasn’t been a Disco Elysium this year, and while last year’s Baldur’s Gate 3 set an almost insurmountable bar for the genre, the game weighing on my mind most as I dive into Avowed is Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
BioWare’s latest entry epitomizes modern RPG design: polished, flashy, and user-friendly. However, it lacks the soul that defines great RPGs. Its world feels shallow, with little moral complexity, and its tightly controlled design leaves no room for emergent gameplay or genuine discovery.
By contrast, Avowed embraces a more old-school approach. Its tropes are familiar: shipwrecked in the Living Lands, you’re the Chosen One tasked with curing a magical plague amid a conflict between chaotic locals and an authoritarian empire. Yet, within minutes, the game establishes a complex political landscape, introduces compelling characters, and presents meaningful choices that immediately drew me in, something The Veilguard couldn’t achieve even after 50 hours.
A World Worth Exploring
The game’s first-person perspective sparks comparisons to Starfield, Bethesda’s recent release. But where Starfield’s galaxy felt sterile and lifeless, Avowed’s Living Lands brim with personality and activity. Exploring the world is like putting on a cozy old sweater: it may be a bit worn, but it’s warm, familiar, and inviting.
In one early stretch of coastline, I encountered a merchant estranged from his wife. After finding an amulet inscribed with their names, I returned it, receiving no grand reward, just a quiet moment suggesting their relationship might heal. Elsewhere, I stumbled upon a web-covered pit leading to a spider’s lair, a cruel hazing ritual involving a bear’s egg, and soldiers puzzled that I had bypassed a locked elevator.
Every interaction felt personal. Dialogue options were sharp and genuinely reflective of my choices. Whether intimidating a graverobber, freeing a prisoner based on discovered evidence, or defining my backstory with a key NPC, I felt a sense of agency often missing in modern RPGs.
A Companion with Depth
Kai, my swashbuckling fish-man companion, subtly fills in details about the Living Lands. His quips carry a wistfulness that hints at deeper uncertainty, and while he’s not yet my favorite RPG companion, his personality is distinct and his moral stances clear. Our brief conversations already suggest potential conflicts over the decisions I’ll make.
A Well-Crafted, Classic RPG
Avowed isn’t revolutionary. It doesn’t aim to compete with the sprawling detail of Baldur’s Gate 3, but it doesn’t need to. In a year where major RPGs have disappointed, Avowed feels like a lovingly crafted, straightforward fantasy adventure. Obsidian’s veteran team knows how to build politically charged worlds and engaging narratives, and it shows.
The game isn’t expansive or particularly innovative, but it doesn’t try to be. Instead, it focuses on what Obsidian does best: solid RPG writing and design. For fans burned by the failures of bigger studios, Avowed may arrive at just the right moment as a refreshing throwback to the genre’s roots.
It may not redefine RPGs, but Avowed feels like the game we need right now – comforting, compelling, and deeply enjoyable. Come February, I’ll be ready to dive back into its world, exploring every corner and savoring every quest.