When you hear that Obsidian Entertainment is working on something new, it’s worth taking note. The company has an incredible track record in gaming including classics like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, Pillars of Eternity I and II, The Outer Worlds, and even the oddball Honey I Shrunk the Kids-inspired Grounded. Obsidian teased its next medieval RPG Avowed several years ago, and now has a fresh gameplay trailer out to show its progress.
A powerful battlemage with undetermined motives?
The trailer takes an angle of descriptive voiceover for the protagonist’s legacy in the making while it cuts to different clips showcasing the player’s powers. You take on the role of an envoy of Aedyr within the Pillars of Eternity universe and investigate strange events. There’s a plague on the island of the Living Lands corrupting souls of all living beings it comes into contact with. You obviously get caught up in the events to figure out what’s causing it.
There’s more to it than that, however, as you possess a terrible power that others genuinely fear you over. Your character wields powerful magical abilities which allow them to dominate in combat. The first-person gameplay stands out about Avowed, and the scope of the trailer is simple enough with keeping the focus on this.
Fortunately, Obsidian’s Studio Head Feargus Urquhart goes into more detail about Avowed in a post on the Xbox Wired news feed. He describes the Living Lands as an island full of unique locations and inhabitants to encounter. He also confirms that players can use swords, shields, pistols, magical spells, and more including dual wielding.
Companions will also play a major role in the story and gameplay of Avowed, although the trailer doesn’t show any of this. Urquhart teased one of the companions who’s name is Kai. This is also the same narrator for the trailer. Kai is a Coastal Aumaua currently residing in the Living Lands and sounds like the first ally you’ll meet. Urquhard mentions Kai is a former soldier and known for a pragmatic temperament.
One can’t help but compare Avowed to Skyrim with the similar combat style implementation. Yet it comes with a far more cinematic and refined look in regards to the combat and frankly appears to offer the type of mechanics that many would like to see in a new Elder Scrolls game. The Avowed gameplay trailer captures the raw power of magic and empowerment to showcase how a battlemage can dominate its opponents like it’s nothing more than a game to them. That will surely pique the interest of medieval combat and magic lovers.
Avowed releases sometime in 2024 and it’s included in Game Pass with day one availability. Obsidian Entertainment will have more to share on Avowed as it gets closer to release.
