Action RPG

Avowed’s Reviews Are In: Are They Disappointing for Obsidian Fans?

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Prior to the official launch of Obsidian Entertainment’s upcoming RPG, “Avowed,” on February 18, early reviews for the game have been published, and while they generally lean towards positive feedback, the overall score is significantly lower than what was expected based on the developer’s previous work. First unveiled in 2020, “Avowed” is set in the fantasy world of Eora, similar to the setting of Obsidian’s “Pillars of Eternity” series, but it isn’t a direct sequel. Instead, “Avowed” deviates from the CRPG format of “Pillars” by adopting gameplay mechanics more akin to titles like “The Outer Worlds,” or games developed by Bethesda.

Starting from February 13, the day Avowed was released in early access, it’s been receiving reviews from critics on Metacritic. While a score of 80 is generally positive, it’s worth noting that this is slightly lower than the Metacritic scores of other Obsidian RPGs I’ve adored. For instance, the two Pillars of Eternity games boast scores of 89 and 88 respectively, and The Outer Worlds, a game that shares similar gameplay elements with Avowed, has an 85. Even Pentiment, a smaller-scale game from Obsidian, managed to secure an 86. And let’s not forget Fallout: New Vegas, one of Obsidian’s most renowned games, which also earned an 84 on Metacritic.

What Critics Are Saying About Avowed

Avowed’s Reviews Are Mixed On Several Of The Game’s Aspects

From delving into individual reviews rather than just looking at the overall rating, it appears that opinions on the game Avowed are quite varied. While ScreenRant’s reviewer Kyle Gratton gave the game a high score of 9/10, praising its “compelling” writing but finding the combat less engaging, other critics hold contrasting views. For instance, Gene Park from The Washington Post finds that the game excels in combat but is not impressed by its writing, stating that his story choices didn’t seem to make a significant impact on either the narrative or his personal investment in it.

It appears that the game Avowed is receiving a mixed response overall, leaning more towards positive appraisals. At the top of the scale, Alex Donaldson from VG247 awarded the game with a perfect score of 5/5, praising it as “exactly what it needs to be.” Conversely, Stacey Henley from TheGamer rated the game at 3/5, describing it as “middle-of-the-road sustenance.”

A consistent theme among reviews, both positive and neutral, is that Avowed doesn’t bring much, if any, innovation to the table. This sentiment was echoed in reviews from both VG247 and TheGamer, and IGN’s Travis Northrup, who gave the game a score of 7/10, commented that Avowed “plays it quite safe.

Avowed Looks Like A Great RPG, Even Compared To Other Obsidian Releases

Avowed Might Be A Game Where Personal Taste Is The Deciding Factor

Indeed, reviews ought to be viewed as suggestions rather than absolute truth, particularly when it comes to the diverse opinions about the various elements of the game “Avowed“. It’s worth mentioning that in the past, aggregate scores from critics have served as an unusual benchmark for Obsidian RPGs. For instance, technical issues at launch with “Fallout: New Vegas” resulted in one of the studio’s lower Metacritic scores, yet it’s often considered one of Obsidian’s finest works. On the other hand, “The Outer Worlds“, which scored slightly higher, was met with mixed reviews from players.

It’s important to note that none of the reviews are false or unreliable, but due to the mixed opinions about Avowed, it appears to be a challenging game to evaluate using a single “objective” numerical score, as its appeal might lean more toward personal preference. On a positive note, the game will debut on Xbox Game Pass on its full release day, allowing players to try it out without having to spend $70 upfront if they’re unsure whether it suits their taste.

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2025-02-14 02:38

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