Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG developed by Obsidian Entertainment and set in the world of Eora. Players take on the role of an envoy from Aedyr investigating a spreading plague on the island known as the Living Lands. The story centers on personal ties to the region and an ancient threat that could unravel everything, with decisions shaping outcomes throughout the journey.
Gameplay
Combat emphasizes flexibility and experimentation. Players mix melee weapons such as swords and axes with spells from a grimoire and firearms like pistols or muskets. Spells can trap, freeze, or burn foes, setting up follow-up strikes, while shields provide defense and bows allow ranged attacks. Quick switching between loadouts supports varied approaches, from close-quarters brawling to distant spellcasting. Skill trees tied to fighter, ranger, and wizard paths unlock abilities that blend across builds without restrictions.
Exploration takes place across distinct zones in the Living Lands, each featuring unique ecosystems and landscapes. Traversal includes responsive movement for climbing, jumping, and sliding through the environment. Companions from various species join the party, each bringing specialized abilities that players can direct during fights. Choices during companion quests influence their development and the overall narrative.
Inventory management stays practical, with generous carrying limits that treat small items as weightless and allow on-the-spot dismantling of larger gear. A stamina system affects combat but leaves running unaffected outside of fights. Enemy encounters use an equipment-based scoring system rather than traditional levels, rewarding upgrades and careful gear selection.
Game Modes
Avowed operates entirely in single-player. The core experience follows the main story and side content through the Living Lands at the player's pace. New Game+ mode, added in a later update, lets players carry over abilities, attributes, unique weapons, armor, and enchantments into a fresh playthrough with increased difficulty options and enemy modifiers.
Custom difficulty settings provide further tuning, adjusting player damage, enemy behavior, companion strength, and economic factors. These tools support repeated runs focused on different builds or story paths without altering the single-player structure.
World and Story
The Living Lands form a mysterious frontier filled with varied environments that reward thorough searching. The narrative draws from the established lore of Eora while introducing the Dreamscourge plague and its effects on inhabitants and the land itself. Player decisions carry weight, affecting alliances, companion arcs, and the island's fate.
Character creation supports flexible backgrounds and later expansions added new playable races including dwarves, Orlans, and Aumaua. Appearance adjustments remain possible mid-game through camp features introduced in updates.
Is It Worth Playing?
Avowed delivers a focused single-player action RPG experience centered on combat variety and exploration. Critics gave the game generally favorable scores around 80 on aggregate sites, highlighting strong traversal, build experimentation, and world design. Updates including New Game+ and expanded customization have improved replay value since launch.
The title suits players who enjoy narrative-driven adventures with meaningful choices and hybrid combat systems. Those seeking dense open zones, companion interactions, and the ability to blend magic with traditional weapons will find the core loop engaging. Availability on multiple platforms and post-launch support make it accessible for fans of Obsidian's style of storytelling and systems.
