Obsidian Entertainment is set to return toPillars of Eternity’sworld of Eora withAvowed,a first-person action-RPG that’s currently in development. After its reveal trailer, it was quickly compared toSkyrimfor its first-person perspective melee and magic action. Obsidian has a history of creating well-received RPG titles includingFallout: New Vegasand its own IPPillars of Eternity, so fan expectations are high. For gamers who enjoy first-person action-RPG titles, this could fill the gap for some whileThe Elder Scrolls 6continues to be developed, though Obsidian has a deep well to draw from to help it stand out from the Bethesda series.
Little is known ofAvowedoutside of some key details. It’s set to take place in Eora, thesame world as Obsidian’sPillars of Eternitygames, and it will take players to The Living Lands. This location hasn’t been seen in the developer’s games before, so Obisidian Entertainment has a blank slate to work with when crafting its world. The reveal trailer has also suggested that Eora’s gods will be involved in the game, as it contained prominent appearances from Woedica, goddess of law and justice. Ultimately, to avoid continued comparisons withSkyrim, there are some features that Obsidian could look at adapting fromPillars of Eternityto help the title stand out.
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CRPG Roots
ThePillars of Eternitytitles are party-based RPG games, and this could be one of the biggest characteristics that Obsidian could bring toAvowed.It’s not very often that action-RPG games make use of companions, and when they are featured, they can often be somewhat basic. A possibly clever move for Obsidian Entertainment would be to look atPillars of Eternity 2: Deadfireand how that game handled adventuring parties.
In the pirate-themed RPG, gamers can hire fully-fledged party members with their own personal stories, and sidekicks who are viable compatriots but don’t have developed narratives.TES 5:Skyrimused companions, but as there was minimal interaction required from the player,Avowedcould look at having a more in-depth way of managing them. Developing a more direct way to instruct them in combat and potentially upgrading them could add more flavor to the characters but also make combat scenarios more diverse.
Managing in-depth systems such as party members could be difficult to manage in real-time, so another opportune feature for Obsidian is a tactical pause.PoE,likeBaldur’s Gatewhich inspired the series, contains a real-time pause element and this could be transferred toAvowedand prove to be useful.GreedFallfrom developer Spidersis a great recent example of an action-RPG that used a tactical pause to great effect. At the touch of a button, combat is paused, and the player is free to map out their next move. This approach could suitAvowedas it’s simple to use and wouldn’t detract from the action-orientation of the game too much. Using a straightforward pausing system like this could help gamers manage their followers' actions and insight into their combat situation.
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Action With RPG Influence
Rumors suggest thatAvowedwill have in-depth spells. It’s common practice for action-RPG titles to include abilities that have cooldowns so that they can’t be spammed, and make fighting enemies more of a challenge. These are often only seconds long and still enable players to use their skills fairly liberally. WhatAvowedcan take fromPillars of Eternityto differentiate fromSkyrimand other similar games are skills which have longer cooldown periods. InPoE,gamers have access to a deep well of abilities that can be used per encounter and rest, and this could work well in the upcoming action-RPG. Potent abilities that can only be used infrequently would help players turn the tide in close battles, and also encourage getting basic combat and tactics mastered, as the more powerful skills couldn’t be used very often. This could also necessitate limited resting when on adventures, making each rest more valuable.
Avowedhas several ways to distinguish itself fromSkyrim,thanks to it spinning off from a series that already has an established setting and lore. Another way to further separate it from the Bethesda series would be to use theship mechanic fromPillars of Eternity 2.While it wouldn’t have to be ships specifically as the mode of transport, it made traveling inDeadfiremore interesting. Players were liable to be attacked by enemies while traversing the sea and altogether made for a more interesting way to travel the game world. This could work inAvowedeven for land travel, with gamers risking being attacked depending on where they were journeying to and how far their destination was.
A Balance Between Action and RPG Features
It’s in the best interest of Obsidian Entertainment to keep a balance between RPG mechanics and action gameplay. While there is going to becompetition betweenThe Elder Scrolls 6andAvoweddue to the titles sharing a genre, the developer should look at doing enough to ensure it stands out from the Bethesda game series. There is a balance to strike between taking enough fromPoEand keeping the title action-heavy while not leaning into its RPG roots too much. Adapting too many role-playing mechanics has the potential to alienate a new audience to the world of Eora, who are looking for a more combat-focused experience. It’s possible that ifAvowedconcentrated on role-playing features too much, it could push gamers towardsSkyrimor the forthcomingElder Scrolls 6.
Obsidian has a big task ahead of them withAvowedand making sure it can stand out from the crowd. Using what has come before inPillars of Eternitywill help the team craft something more unique, but it remains important for Obsidian to make sure it can stay within first-person fantasy action without delving into stat-heavy mechanics too much.There are few confirmed details forAvowedat the moment, with many players hoping to see some more official news soon.
Avowedis currently in development and will release on Xbox Series X and PC.
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