Avowed review | Xbox Series X|S19/2/2025  Fantasy is having a bit of a resurgence lately. Sure everyone always has kind words for The Elder Scrolls VI: Skyrim, but that was 14 years ago, and with other heavy hitters like Dragon Age and even Diablo sitting on their hands for a few years (“do you guys not have phones?”) it was mostly left up to the waning World of Warcraft to fly the AAA flag for the mythical realm in much of the 2010s and early 20s. Fast-forward to 2023 and the full release of early-access darling Baldur’s Gate 3 it felt like everything suddenly changed. There was a new Monster Hunter, a second grown up The Legend of Zelda, and an open-world Harry Potter game. Diablo even came back in full force, and a swathe of indies bringing fresh ideas to the table like Sea of Stars and The Plucky Squire. Fantasy felt fantastical, new, and exciting again for the first time in a decade, so much so that plenty of players are still exploring Faerûn to this day. And now, in this post-BG3 world, a new challenger approaches – Avowed.
Grow your own adventure Your character, whichever race and class you choose, will always be godlike, and also will have no idea which god they are connected to. Exploring the secrets of your origins is a key theme throughout the game, and does succeed in making you care about your character’s journey. As well as name and appearance – and the visual customisation is pretty substantial – you get to choose elements of your character’s backstory. There's variety but also the game never paints you into a corner, as all your skills options are completely open regardless of your choices at the beginning. You can even respec for a nominal fee. All these touches go a long way to make the process of getting started stress-free, and allows you to get right into the game and immerse yourself in its story and world without getting distracted by numbers and options. There are stat points to apply and skills to unlock, but there’s a straightforward simplicity to how everything is explained, and it’s always clear when the weapon you’ve picked up is just something simple, or something fancy which is worth holding onto. In fact, Obsidian’s approach to who you are feels fairly relaxed and straightforward compared to the depth of something like Baldur’s Gate 3. That class flexibility could let you pursue all classes at once, though you’d be spending a lot of time grinding enemies. Better the mushroom you know While there are natural enemies like spiders to contend with, there are also kith – a lizard-like creature, that can come in all manner of types. This is mirrored by skeletons, who may even be priests that have a tendency to heal and revive other enemies, including bigger boss enemies. While the locals are generally suspicious, you're given free reign to explore and your status as an envoy tends to help you get to the bottom of most situations... Combat overall offers a solid challenge that does make you think, often just spamming attack as fast as possible isn't the way to go. There is a dodge mechanic, though locking onto enemies and moving around the space is difficult to master at first, especially if you're playing in first person. Fortunately, the game lets you switch between the two at your leisure. Exploring The Living Lands The structure of the game plays out fairly traditionally. You are tasked by the king with essentially investigating what's going on in The Living Lands – a group of islands away from the main kingdom that's experiencing this mysterious dream scourge. While the locals are generally suspicious, you're given free reign to explore and your status as an envoy tends to help you get to the bottom of most situations. Along for the ride, and with a useful amount of local knowledge, are your companions, chief among them is Kai, voiced by Brandon Keener who you may know better as Garrus from the Mass Effect series. As well as being a dab hand in combat, Kai is instantly likeable, bringing just the right mix of humour and charm, which can help with your diplomacy with the inhabitants. It’s a kind of magic While we opted for the fighter class, it doesn't take magic off the table. As well as unlocking magic through skills you can also use grimoire volumes which unlock entry-level (and later, with a skill point or two, more advanced) spells that can be used for various elemental effects, useful for opening some doors or mastering other simple puzzles. Combining the grimoire in combat with your main weapon can make for some interesting combinations, and it's nice to have an approachable way to do some magic without needing to invest skill points. These tactics are crucial for getting the edge in certain fights, as each type of enemy will attack slightly differently. At first you might find yourself being overwhelmed, but picking up the combat after a few tries doesn't take too long, and, unlike some games, the process of learning isn't punishing. Forging your destiny There are a few things the game doesn't spell out however, at least not at first, so it can take a while to feel like you've got to grips with it all.
One fun feature is that you can wear one piece of armour but take on the visual attributes of another, so you don't have to sacrifice your look for better stats. Or there's the fact that enemies in the game generally don't respawn, meaning adventure is the main way to gain experience and climb levels. In contrast, in your character menu there's plenty to read and absorb, but if you breeze through without reading the instructions the first time you'll find there's a lot of reading to do to remind yourself when it comes time to upgrade items, for example. In all Avowed is a fantastic, original experience which carries through Oblivion’s knack for characterisation and good writing while not getting side-tracked with too much depth. (If you're looking to romance your companions, for example, BG3 or Dragon Age are your best bet). While it might not push every visual boundary, the Unreal Engine does produce some nice looking environments, and above all the lasting impression as you explore is that the natural world has been left to define the landscape. Even more than that, there is colour everywhere, and even bioluminescence, particularly in areas where there is a lot of fungi around. There might not be the depth of Baldur's Gate – though, at this point, what other game does – but there's a huge amount to explore through a series of different locations and climates. Fantasy fans will feel right and home, and even if you're not, or you're on the fence, this is well worth your time. Pros
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