Avowed Xbox Direct deep-dive shows it’s more than a Skyrim clone

Welcome to the Living Lands

Obsidian showed off several new Avowed trailers at the January 2024 Xbox Direct, highlighting some of the upcoming RPG's combat and questing. While we don't have a release date yet, we do have a much better idea of what sets Avowed apart from other first-person adventures: its unique battles. 

Gameplay director Gabriel Paramo says Obsidian's goal with Avowed was creating a sense of freedom and flexibility in how you approach everything. 

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You can dual wield any weapon, whether it's two pistols, a gun and a wand, or pretty much any combination you can think of. You can also swap weapons at any point and head into battle with multiple loadouts to help you contend with any threat. It's a good chance to let you create special combos as well - freezing foes with magic before shattering them with a sword, for example.

Obsidian also showed off a short quest that forces you to make a big choice. The scenario involves deciding who was at fault for the deaths of a squad of mercenaries. A survivor says their captain abandoned them and fled in fear. The captain has another story. However you decide to resolve the conflict, Obsidian says you'll feel and see the consequences of your actions once you make it back to town.

Avowed takes place in the world of Eora, which it shares with Obsidian’s Pillars of Eternity. However, Avowed is played from a first-person perspective with users visiting the Living Lands for the purpose of investigating a mysterious plague. It’s not a true open-world game, but will feature large open zones for players to explore on their own.

 Its dialog system is supposedly inspired by that of The Outer Worlds, another past Obsidian title, and will provide players with options that convey a specific tone in a conversation.

Avowed was announced in 2020 and is planned for a fall 2024 launch on PC and Xbox Series X|S.

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