After setting up camp on the outskirts of Avowed‘s city of Paradis, I take a moment to simply listen. My two companions Marius and Kai are verbally sparring once more, this time trading barbs about a certain lady acquaintance of Kai’s that the flustered dwarf ranger may or may not be interested in. “I can introduce you, if you want,” the blue-scaled “handsome squidward” offers smoothly, only to be met by Marius’ protestations – though much like the rest of us, he’s no match for Kai’s charm.
Those velvety transatlantic tones are barely a shade away from voice actor Brandon Keener’s past performances as Garrus Vakarian in Bioware‘s Mass Effect series, and to hear them all over again in a very different RPG makes Kai a welcome comfort. But as I delve deeper into Avowed, that connection feels more and more apt – and it’s all down to the inner workings of the companion system.
Strength in numbers
It might sound odd to see flavors of a sci-fi RPG in a medieval high fantasy one. Sure, Avowed is most often compared to Bethesda darling Skyrim in terms of combat and exploration – especially given how the former facilitates the return of a sneaky beloved archer playstyle. However, in my mind, the narrative-heavy implications of Avowed’s recruitable NPCs heavily evokes Mass Effect.
Having finally broken through the game’s surface at a humble 12 hours, Kai and Marius’ friendly rivalry is in full swing. They’re my only Avowed companions at this mid-stage, each offering something new to support my magical Envoy on her quest across the Living Lands. I’m loving developer Obsidian’s take on the party system itself, centered around racking up companion points to be invested into one of four nascent skills per companion. Immediately, it has me thinking of Mass Effect.
Much like in Mass Effect, the Envoy can only bring two companions on a given outing – which is fine for me, since two is all I have so far. While I can’t adjust Kai and Marius’ weapons or armor loadout a-la Bioware, I get to decide which of their skills best complements my own build. Kai’s spiffy gun-like blunderbuss (I will never not chortle at that name) is great for drawing enemy attention away from my glass cannon mage, while I delight in how Marius’ thorny gasp ability pins foes to the spot so I can get some whippy wandwork in. Both companions are capable of executing their own attacks and specials autonomously, but much like in the later Mass Effect games, I’m able to command them to perform certain skills too. The pair’s smarter AI means Kai and Marius are a lot better at not dying on me – especially given how partial to kamikaze Garrus and Wrex seemed to be in Mass Effect 1.
It’s the kind of responsive, character-specific emerging narrative magic that can elevate an RPG…
Their dynamic duo status is another reason I can’t stop comparing Avowed to Mass Effect. Kai and Marius have a slightly complex history, I’m aware, marked by equal parts respect and ball-busting. While exploring the Living Lands at my side, the two frequently share their thoughts and feelings on a given conversation, and it’s not uncommon for them to be at odds with each other. It reminds me of how Commander Shepard’s own crew aboard the Normandy never held back with their opinions of each other, good or bad. Both games feature a similar level of interactivity between not only active party members, but those they meet while exploring the open world. For example, Kai’s numerous silver-tongued attempts at placating those he’s crossed reminds me of Garrus’ running commentary while exploring Turian bases in Mass Effect. It’s the kind of responsive, character-specific emerging narrative magic that can elevate an RPG and turn its NPCs into fully fleshed-out people to interact with.
While I’m aware that romance is off the cards in Avowed, I still love how refined the companion system feels – mechanically, and as a storytelling tool. There’s still loads I have yet to experience in the game, with my companion numbers still two shy of a full set, but Obsidian has already thoroughly impressed me with what I’ve seen so far. And look at that, not a single Skyrim comparison in sight!
Check out our Avowed review and see why we gave it a solid 4/5 stars