Avowed is a New Epic Fantastical RPG being developed by Obsidian
Avowed is a first-person RPG being developed by Obsidian which apparently is aiming to take on the Elder Scrolls series within their own wheelhouse. Little is known about this game, but it is turning heads within the Xbox gaming community. The first trailer was dropped during the Xbox Games Showcase last year. The footage shown wasn’t too elaborate with gameplay details, but it did provide a solid insight into the game’s characters and setting. Evidently, this title seems to be about warring kingdoms trying to overtake each other’s lands. The voiceover in the trailer mentions something about “oaths” and upholding allegiance to their own kind. Loyalty, courage, and sacrifice appear to be the theme of this game and players will evidently be taking control of a protector of some kind. Of course, there is a good emphasis in the trailer that establishes that this world will have sorcery engrained into a medieval-looking world that is heavily reminiscent of Middle-Earth.
It is good to know that Obsidian is trying out new things within their studio. As of right now, they are deeply involved with Grounded, which they’re trying to release as a full game later this year. Of course, once that project finally wraps up, all hands will be on deck for Avowed. Even though the story is an enigma, it is easy to figure out what other IPs inspired this game. Obsidian isn’t exactly a stranger to this genre. They did develop Pillars of Eternity which was released way back in 2015. So the question is, will Pillars of Eternity have any connective tissue to Avowed? It seems very possible that this could indeed be the case. Expanding the worlds from one title to the next by having them relate to each other seems like a smart creative decision to make.
Secrets of Sorcery
The world that Avowed takes place in is called Eora. Very little is shown about this realm, but it appears to be an unforgiving place. What is interesting is that the trailer showed a warrior holding a sword that had runes etched down the blade. Eagle-eyed fans of Obsidian games took note of this and they discovered that they looked oddly familiar. It turns out that the scribes used in Pillars of Eternity were the very same type of dialect found on this sword. Roughly translated, the language said “Oathbinder” which may be the name of the character, or the sword itself. This is definitely a strong hint that this game could be the start of a shared universe between all the titles from Obsidian. Also, the footage that was showcased was a good indicator of how this game will play.
It is fairly obvious that this game is borrowing some of the genetic code of the Elder Scrolls games and making something original. As of right now, this IP is aiming to be a first-person experience with dual-wielding being the center of combat. The footage showed that it is possible to equip magic in one hand and brandish a sword with the other. So, will it be possible to experiment with other weapons with each hand? Or, is the alternative is having one hand being utilized for spells at all times? Only time will tell. Given how flexible the developers are with their RPG elements in their past games, it is highly likely this will be a complete sandbox offering. However, it has been stipulated by the developers that magic can be laced into the weapons. Everything from fire swords to lightning arrows is a very real possibility.
The Edge of Loyalty
At the beginning of the trailer, there are banners swinging in the wind. The symbols on this note it’s the insignia for Woedica. Fans of Pillars of Eternity will find that Woedica is a god-like character who specializes in establishing law and order. She was the “big bad” through the Pillars of Eternity games. Her main goal was to rule over the realms and all their creations within them. The runes on the sword are written in the language of Aedyran, which was the primary tongue used for worshipping Woedica. So, it appears that these clues could indicate that Avowed could indeed be taking place before the events of the Pillars of Eternity games. This new title might be a chapter within the world of Eora that will explore the rule and fall of Woedica.
The world is aiming to be even bigger than the one in Skyrim. There hasn’t been anything confirmed, yet but there are some rumors swirling that may have nuggets of truth in them. There will be various factions to deal with, which will operate very differently from the Elder Scrolls games. It is also said that there will two large bustling cities to visit, with the map being peppered with all kinds of settlements. A dynamic weather system will be in place, changing based on the altitude and location of the map. Also, pretty much anyone in the game can be slain, including essential NPCs central to the story. Lastly, it has been said that the animal life will be the same species found in Pillars of Eternity. Of course, they will have some tweaks and updated designs to them, but they will be the same creatures nonetheless. Take all of this with a pinch of salt, but honestly, this information sounds it could very well be right on.
Greed of the Gods
Even though Avowed is still a long way off, there is a fevered group of fans out there that are already picking apart what little information is available. Gamers will need to wait before Obsidian gives any more information about what kind of lore this game will entail. Plus, more importantly, how it will play. This game is aiming to be launched sometime in 2022 to 2023. Of course, that is always subject to change. Whenever it does launch, it will be available on Xbox and PC. Whatever the case is with this game, there is no doubt that these developers are evolving with each new title they bring out and the world of Eora has some interesting potential behind it.
