Summary
Obsidian Entertainment’s forthcoming FPS RPG,Avowed, is finally set to arrive later this year after being announced in 2020, and spending 4 years in development.Avowedis poised to be a return to form of sorts for the studio, as its previous few games, likeGroundedandPentiment, were somewhat more experimental and outside the confines of what Obsidian is generally known for. However,Avowedis also informed by the developer’s two CRPG titles,Pillars of Eternityand its direct sequel,Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, and thus will incorporate its setting along with facets of its lore and history.
There are instances that can be said where previous entries in a series might almost be required to play beforehand to fully appreciate and understand the latter releases. A recent example may be theLike A Dragonseries, which is based on the precedingYakuzafranchise, and has strong and inextricable connections to it in many respects. It can sometimes be a tricky situation when a studio takes this angle, as it risks putting off potential fans who might find it a daunting proposition to play through multiple previous games before jumping into one that looks appealing, but that necessitates such a heavy commitment.Avowed, though, while being based onPoE, has no such barrier, and this is an excellent decision on Obsidian’s part.
Avowedcurrently has a Fall 2024 release windowas a day one Game Pass/Microsoft exclusive.
Obsidian Not Making Playing Pillars of Eternity Necessary to Enjoying Avowed is a Great Call
Pillars of Eternity’s Eora is the Groundwork for Avowed, But Players Need Not be Familiar With it
Pillars of Eternity’s world of Eorais the foundation upon whichAvowed’s setting is built. With a lot of the framework already established, it may seem that players would need to at least have a cursory knowledge and understanding ofPoEto get the most out of their time withAvowed. Obsidian, though, has taken care to point out that this will not be the case, and that it has designedAvowedto be welcoming to new fans interested in a fantasy first-person RPG title with deep narratives, as well as those who have played one or bothPillars of Eternityentries, endeavoring to make a satisfying experience for both camps.
How Avowed Will Accommodate Both Newcomers and Longtime Fans to its Pillars of Eternity Setting
While it might certainly behoove fans toplay thePillars of Eternitygames ahead ofAvowed, the fact that it won’t be strictly necessary to be intimately familiar with all of their (admittedly complex) plot beats and reveals, is in the long run a good decision that will benefit all fans.Avowedcan serve as both an introduction to Eora for incoming players while also being likely to reward returningPillars of Eternityfans with various continuity nods, references, and Easter Eggs, as Obsidian is known to often include these elements in many of its titles.
It’s also quite possible that newcomers who enjoy whatAvowedhas to offer will then be enticed to go back and play thePillars of Eternitytitles afterward, giving Obsidian an incentive to return to orextend the sharedPillars of EternityandAvoweduniverse, and potentially setting up further entries in the world down the line. With the decision to balanceAvowedin the manner stated, Obsidian has set itself up to provide players with the best of both worlds and hopefully will see its vision pay off when it ships.
