Avowed

Last updated
Avowed
Avowed key art.jpeg
Developer(s) Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher(s) Xbox Game Studios
Director(s) Carrie Patel
Artist(s) Matt Hansen
Series Pillars of Eternity
Engine Unreal Engine 5
Platform(s)
ReleaseQ3/Q4 2024
Genre(s) Action role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Avowed is an upcoming action role-playing video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios. Avowed takes place in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity , in the world of Eora. The game is scheduled to be released in Q3 or Q4 2024 for Windows and Xbox Series X/S.

Contents

Plot

Avowed takes place in the Living Lands, a part of the world of Eora. [1] The Living Lands within the game boast of a diverse array of locations, ranging from vibrant lush forests to arid rocky deserts to large caves and valleys. [2] Players assume control of an envoy from the Aedyr Empire, who is assigned to the Living Lands to investigate a mysterious plague.

Gameplay

The player is engaging in combat with an infected bear. Avowed gamelay.jpeg
The player is engaging in combat with an infected bear.

Avowed is an action role-playing game played from a first-person perspective. [3] Players can use magic, melee weapons, and firearms to defeat enemies. The game features a variety of spells, allowing players to perform feats such as freezing enemies in ice, or ensnaring them in an Entangle spell. Spells can be used in conjunction with other weapons to create combos, such as using sword to crush through a frozen enemy. Players can quickly switch between multiple setups, including dual pistols, dual wands, a two-handed axe, or a sword (or wand, gun, or shield) and shield combination. [4] The game features several skill trees, which allow players to unlock more powerful abilities as they progress in the game. Weapons can also be individually upgraded. [5] While Avowed is not a full open world game, the game features several large open zones for players to explore. [6]

As the player explores the game's world, they will interact with other non-playable characters (NPCs). Similar to Obsidian's previous game, The Outer Worlds , the game features dialogue options which reflect the tone the player wants to convey. Some NPCs will join the player's party and become their companions, each of whom has their own personalities and combat skills. Romancing companions is not a feature in Avowed. [7] Players can explore the game's world and complete quests with two companions at a time. [5]

Development

Avowed is the first first-party AAA project by Obsidian since Microsoft bought the studio in 2018. [8] [9] The game was initially pitched as Obsidian's take on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim , which has a massive open world. However, as development progressed, the studio chose not to imitate Skyrim's style of gameplay, and chose to work on a game that is more akin to Obsidian's previous RPGs, one that has a more confined scope but a heavier focus emphasis on story and characters. According to the game's director Carrie Patel, the companions in the story are "integral" to the game's story. [10]

Obsidian Entertainment and Xbox Game Studios announced Avowed during the Xbox Games showcase in July 2020. [11] The game is set to be released in Q3 or Q4 2024 for Windows and Xbox Series X/S [12] , and will be available at launch for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. [13]

Related Research Articles

Bethesda Softworks LLC is an American video game publisher based in Rockville, Maryland. The company was founded by Christopher Weaver in 1986 as a division of Media Technology Limited. In 1999, it became a subsidiary of ZeniMax Media. In its first 15 years, it was a video game developer and self-published its titles. In 2001, Bethesda spun off its in-house development team into Bethesda Game Studios, leaving Bethesda Softworks to focus on publishing operations.

Obsidian Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Irvine, California. It was founded in June 2003, shortly before the closure of Black Isle Studios, by ex-Black Isle employees Feargus Urquhart, Chris Avellone, Chris Parker, Darren Monahan, and Chris Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bethesda Game Studios</span> American video game developer

Bethesda Game Studios is an American video game developer and a studio of ZeniMax Media based in Rockville, Maryland. It is best known for its action role-playing franchises, including The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield. Bethesda Game Studios was established in 2001 as the development unit of Bethesda Softworks, separating from publishing operations. Todd Howard serves as the studio's executive producer, leading it with managing director Ashley Cheng and studio director Angela Browder. As of November 2023, Bethesda Game Studios had 450 employees.

<i>Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic</i> Video game series

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) is a media franchise of space western role-playing video games created and developed by BioWare, which have seen releases on the original Xbox, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, IOS and Android. The franchise takes place in the fictional universe of Star Wars by George Lucas.

<i>Dungeon Siege III</i> 2011 video game

Dungeon Siege III is an action role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment. It was published by Square Enix for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows in June 2011. It is the third full and fifth overall release in the Dungeon Siege series of video games and the first since Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony in 2006. The game is set in the pseudo-medieval kingdom of Ehb, 150 years after the events of Dungeon Siege and follows descendants of survivors of the 10th Legion in their quest to reestablish their military force.

<i>Fallout: New Vegas</i> 2010 video game

Fallout: New Vegas is an action role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Bethesda Softworks. It was released in 2010 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Set in the Mojave Desert 204 years after a nuclear war left much of the United States decimated, the player controls a courier who survived an assassination attempt from an unknown assailant. The goal of the game is to find the assailant, which eventually culminates in a war between different governing factions vying for control of the Mojave Desert. Fallout: New Vegas features an open world map that the player can freely explore. Much of the gameplay revolves around combat, and there are a variety of weapons the player can use, such as standard guns and energy-based weapons. An optional difficulty level is Hardcore Mode, which adds survival mechanics the player must keep track off, such as the need to sleep in order to avoid dying from sleep deprivation.

<i>The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim</i> 2011 video game

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a 2011 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fifth main installment in The Elder Scrolls series, following The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006), and was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on November 11, 2011.

Western role-playing video games are role-playing video games developed in the Western world, including The Americas and Europe. They originated on mainframe university computer systems in the 1970s, were later popularized by titles such as Ultima and Wizardry in the early- to mid-1980s, and continue to be produced for modern home computer and video game console systems. The genre's "Golden Age" occurred in the mid- to late-1980s, and its popularity suffered a downturn in the mid-1990s as developers struggled to keep up with changing fashion, hardware evolution and increasing development costs. A later series of isometric role-playing games, published by Interplay Productions and Blizzard Entertainment, was developed over a longer time period and set new standards of production quality.

<i>Pillars of Eternity</i> 2015 roleplaying video game

Pillars of Eternity is a role-playing video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Paradox Interactive. It was released for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux on March 26, 2015. The game is a spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series, along with Planescape: Torment. Obsidian started a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for it in September 2012. The campaign raised over US$4 million, which was the highest funded video game at the time. The game uses the Unity engine.

<i>Fallout 4</i> 2015 video game

Fallout 4 is a 2015 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fourth main game in the Fallout series and was released worldwide on November 10, 2015, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. The game is set within an open world post-apocalyptic environment that encompasses the city of Boston and the surrounding Massachusetts region known as "The Commonwealth".

<i>Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire</i> 2018 video game

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a role-playing video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Versus Evil. It is the sequel to 2015's Pillars of Eternity, and was released for Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS in May 2018, and for PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in January 2020. A version for the Nintendo Switch was originally announced in 2018, but has been ultimately cancelled in February 2022 after multiple delays. The game was announced in January 2017 with a crowdfunding campaign on Fig, where it reached its funding goal within a day.

<i>Skull and Bones</i> (video game) 2024 video game

Skull and Bones is a 2024 action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Singapore and published by Ubisoft. The game revolves around piracy and naval warfare with a fantastical setting in East Africa and Southeast Asia during the late 17th century, the peak of the historical Golden Age of Piracy. It was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on February 16, 2024, after multiple delays and developmental difficulties, to mixed reviews.

<i>The Outer Worlds</i> 2019 video game

The Outer Worlds is a 2019 action role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Private Division. The game was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in October 2019, with a Nintendo Switch version released in June 2020.

<i>Starfield</i> (video game) 2023 video game

Starfield is a 2023 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. In the game, the player character joins a group of space explorers who must venture to various corners of the galaxy to acquire mysterious artifacts. The game features an open world in the form of an area within the Milky Way galaxy, containing both fictional and non-fictional planetary systems.

<i>Baldurs Gate 3</i> 2023 video game

Baldur's Gate 3 is a 2023 role-playing video game developed and published by Larian Studios. It is the third main installment to the Baldur's Gate series, based on the tabletop fantasy role-playing system of Dungeons & Dragons. A partial version of the game was released in early access format for macOS and Windows in October 2020. It remained in early access until its full release for Windows in August 2023, with versions for PlayStation 5, macOS, and Xbox Series X/S releasing later that year.

<i>Grounded</i> (video game) 2022 video game

Grounded is a survival action-adventure video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios. It was released for Windows and Xbox One in early access in July 2020. It was fully released on September 27, 2022. The Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions were released on April 16, 2024.

References

  1. ↑ "Avowed Release Window Confirmed, And Lots Of New Footage Shown Off". GameSpot. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Avowed is a massive Xbox exclusive RPG launching this fall". Digital Trends. January 18, 2024. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  3. ↑ Hall, Charlie (July 23, 2020). "Obsidian reveals new RPG, Avowed, for Xbox Series X". Polygon . Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  4. ↑ Wood, Austin (January 18, 2024). "Avowed shows off polished combat in new footage that looks like an improved Skyrim, complete with guns and loadouts: "It's not just hacking and slashing"". gamesradar. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  5. 1 2 Fenlon, Wes (June 11, 2023). "Exclusive: Obsidian breaks 3-year silence to spill the secrets of Avowed, its next big RPG". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  6. ↑ Sinha, Ravi (June 13, 2023). "Avowed is Comparable to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2, The Outer Worlds in Size". Gaming Bolt. Archived from the original on June 13, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Obsidian interview about first-person RPG Avowed". Eurogamer.net. January 27, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  8. ↑ Yang, George (July 23, 2020). "Avowed Is a New AAA First-Person RPG from Obsidian Entertainment". The Escapist . Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  9. ↑ Fenlon, Wes (June 11, 2023). "Exclusive: Obsidian breaks 3-year silence to spill the secrets of Avowed, its next big RPG". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  10. ↑ Savage, Phil (June 11, 2023). "Exclusive: Avowed started as Obsidian's Skyrim, but evolved to focus on depth over breadth, 'where Obsidian really shines'". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  11. ↑ Kim, Matt (July 23, 2020). "Obsidian Entertainment Reveals Avowed, New RPG Set in Pillars of Eternity Universe". IGN . Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Avowed Coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Game Pass Fall 2024". twitter.com. January 18, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  13. ↑ Donovan, Imogen (June 11, 2023). "Avowed trailer spotlights the world of Eora, confirms 2024 release date". NME . Archived from the original on June 11, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.