The following contains minor spoilers for Avowed‘s introduction.
As far as new IPs go, Obsidian Entertainment’s Avowed isn’t typical, as it acts more as a genre shift for the developer’s Pillars of Eternity series. Set in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, Avowed takes players to the Living Lands of Eora, where they have been sent by the Aedyran Emperor to investigate a plague known as the “Dreamscourge.” With the deep lore and world-building that Pillars of Eternity is known for, it would make sense for Avowed to ensure players are introduced to that lore in such a way that makes them care about it. Unfortunately, Avowed‘s introduction falls somewhat flat, serving as little more than a tutorial, rather than an opportunity to really flesh out its world.
According to Obsidian, Avowed is technically a standalone game. As such, players don’t necessarily need to know anything about Pillars of Eternity lore in order to enjoy what it has to offer, and that has turned out to be (mostly) true. However independent it may be, though, Avowed probably could have used a longer introduction to both bridge the gap between it and Pillars of Eternity and to more firmly and convincingly establish Avowed as its own game. Unfortunately, its short introduction doesn’t do much for it, leaving its world mostly stranded on the same beach that players wash up on at the start of the game.
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Avowed’s first-person combat and respect for player choice make it a journey worth having, but flaws in its story and design make it a one-way road.
Avowed’s Brief Introduction Doesn’t Do Much for It
Avowed’s Introduction Could Have Had More Substance
The core issue with Avowed‘s brief introduction is that it lacks a surprising amount of substance. On the one hand, it gets players into its flashy action fairly quickly, and since longer, more cinematic introductions can sometimes take the wind out of a player’s sails before they’ve even started playing a game, that is certainly an upside. On the other hand, however, Avowed is so steeped in lore and an intriguing world that its introduction arguably needed to be more than a mere method for guiding players through its mechanics.
Avowed begins with a somewhat creepy show-and-tell cinematic that introduces the Dreamscourge, after which the player’s mission to the Living Lands is lined out. Once gameplay begins, players are quickly introduced to Avowed‘s combat and exploration mechanics, along with a couple of the game’s characters. Unfortunately, not only do neither of these characters really have any major impact on Avowed‘s story, but the introduction almost abruptly ends right when its about to hit its stride, and players arrive at Dawnshore like they have just awakened from a bad dream.
With a longer introduction, Avowed could have spent more time establishing its world, the role of the protagonist in it, and even given them some more time with the characters.
The Introduction Could Have Been a Bridge Between Avowed and Pillars of Eternity
Rather than attempting to bridge the gap between it and Pillars of Eternity, Avowed‘s introduction somewhat denies the fact that it has no connection to its spiritual predecessor by neglecting to devote more time to fleshing out the universe. Of course, those who have played Pillars of Eternity and are familiar with its lore will already feel at home when they start Avowed. However, Avowed is indeed a standalone game, and since its introduction largely feels like players have been thrown into the middle of something rather than being given the chance to greet it on their own terms, that can leave newcomers feeling like the part they have to play in the story doesn’t mean much.
As a result, Avowed‘s introduction may be more barrier than bridge for Pillars of Eternity newcomers. Given the emphasis the game places on its narrative and lore, it arguably needed to spend more time gradually immersing players into its world if it hoped to give them a truly compelling reason for being there in the first place.
- Released
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February 18, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
- Publisher(s)
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Xbox Game Studios