- Obsidian Entertainment’s Avowed steers clear of Skyrim parallels with its more linear plot and interconnecting zones.
- Third-person perspective, parkour, and numerous endings depending on player decisions are all features of the role-playing game.
- Avowed promises not to be a Metroidvania-style game, with its smaller zones encouraging inventive exploration and problem-solving.
The brilliant team behind Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds, Obsidian Entertainment, has addressed frequent parallels between The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and their next role-playing game, Avowed. The premise, gameplay, and a few unexpected new features of Avowed have also been discussed by the company.
Much fresh information on Avowed was unveiled during the most recent Xbox Games Showcase 2024. Obsidian Entertainment’s next fantasy action RPG will take players on a treacherous adventure across the devastated Living Lands as agents of the Aedyran Empire tasked with investigating the mysterious magical plague known as the Dreamscourge. The game will be available for PC and Xbox One. Avowed takes place in the same universe as Obsidian’s previous Pillars of Eternity trilogy, on the most northern isles of Eora. The studio has stressed that discovering the Living Lands will be just as rewarding for both seasoned fans and first-timers, despite some well-known mythology and surprising cameos.
Avowed aims to provide an innovative perspective on the genre with its dual-handed sword-and-sorcery gameplay and unexpectedly colourful landscapes. But naturally, since its 2020 release, Avowed has been compared to one of the most well-known fantasy role-playing games ever, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. In an interview with Game Informer, game director Carrie Patel and gameplay director Gabe Paramo attempted to disassociate their game from Bethesda’s classic when asked about these alleged similarities to Skyrim. Although Patel stated that “in terms of the kind of the quest structure, the narrative structure, it’s a lot closer to The Outer Worlds,” Paramo emphasised that “comparing two games” can lead to mistaken conclusions that producers are “trying to be inspired by another game.” In addition, Patel said, “Avowed has a series of open zones that are connected and unlock throughout the game, rather than one massive map that you can walk through from beginning to end, like The Outer Worlds.”
What distinguishes Avowed from Skyrim?
The plot of Avowed will be more structured than that of Skyrim, which has an open-ended quest system.
Instead of having an open world right out of the gate, Avowed’s map will consist of a number of interconnected zones that become accessible as the plot progresses.
The creators have made it clear that Avowed will not become a Metroidvania-style game as a result of this connectedness.
Regarding prior parallels to Skyrim, the devs have already said that Avowed’s finely detailed smaller sections will provide a more focused and linear story. But Patel clarified that “it’s not a Metroidvania” when talking about how the player will solve environmental challenges and explore new regions. Rather than facing predetermined hurdles, players will be equipped with a variety of tools that they can utilise to their advantage to uncover hidden areas, treasure, and exciting surprises throughout the game.
It’s much closer to The Outer Worlds in terms of the kind of quest structure, the narrative structure.
In addition, the devs disclosed that Avowed will be fully playable in third person, just like Skyrim, giving players a greater view of their fully customisable characters. However, they stressed that Avowed is primarily “a first-person game with a third-person perspective.” A parkour system and several endings depending on minor and significant player decisions are further features of the role-playing game. In addition, Patel said that while the four major characters in the game will still allow players to “form a meaningful bond,” the company “decided to forego romances.” The game may miss its planned 2024 release window, according to rumours circulating since the company has not yet disclosed Avowed’s official release date. Nevertheless, fans may not need to worry as Obsidian appears to have inadvertently exposed Avowed’s likely release date as November 12.