Eternity Avowed - Obsidian's first person action-RPG in the Pillars of Eternity setting - coming February 18th

[markec]

As you say, glove has to fit the hand in overall design terms.

Yep.

I personally don't care for Avowed. I just find it weird how Obsidian marketed this game to be like Skyrim. Then all of a sudden they cut one of the biggest things that made normies enjoy Skyrim. You're kind of shooting yourself in the foot there. Even Fall of Avalon, which wears its Skyrim inspirations on its sleeve, has a big open world for people to explore.

Many normies dont read past the headlines, so "New Skyrim like game from creators of New Vegas!" is effective marketing tool.

Same thing helped Outer Worlds to get decent sales, just namedrop New Vegas in every headline and you are sure to get lots of attention.

 

[Just Locus]

"New Skyrim like game from creators of New Vegas!" is effective marketing tool. [...]

Always remember to archive an article before viewing it to not give them any clicks using archive.ph and to always leave if the website detects your adblocker.

 

[Roguey]

I enjoyed the months of streamer-type marketing and now complete radio silence.

Modern devs with modern marketing teams.

To be fair, it's a holiday weekend in the States, no one was going to be saying anything regardless.

 

[Orange Clock]

So, I’ve been thinking, if Avowed had been out in November it’d probably sold more copies: empty release window, good previews, Veilguard disappointment, no Hansen debacle and the game seems to be pretty much finished. So the only reason it was moved to 2025, is to clear Game Pass schedule of releases(according to Spencer anyway), basically give a room to Indiana game(releases in early December).
So, hmm… Did Todd Howard just destroyed Obsidian again? Couldn’t do it properly the last time(whole 84/85 metacritic schtick) and now decided to finish the job?
Well, guess nobody messes with the Chess Master.

 

[mediocrepoet]

You know if you know RPG theory, you know why machineguns and similar stuff is typically not used in RPG games together with swords. It depends on aiming and reflexes, and ultimatelly it ends as "if you want to kill something that you can't kill with current gun, bring a bigger gun."

Even in SF settings when it's normal, it typically means one lucky hit and you roll new character. And if you have armor that can stop machinegun, enemies are typically bringing in autocannon with 50 mm.

Play Final Fantasy to see where you're wrong. Everyone knows swords do more damage than guns. Most devs just cut to the chase and get rid of the guns altogether instead of giving players gimp options.

 

[Raghar]

You know if you know RPG theory, you know why machineguns and similar stuff is typically not used in RPG games together with swords. It depends on aiming and reflexes, and ultimatelly it ends as "if you want to kill something that you can't kill with current gun, bring a bigger gun."

Even in SF settings when it's normal, it typically means one lucky hit and you roll new character. And if you have armor that can stop machinegun, enemies are typically bringing in autocannon with 50 mm.

Play Final Fantasy to see where you're wrong. Everyone knows swords do more damage than guns. Most devs just cut to the chase and get rid of the guns altogether instead of giving players gimp options.

FF X, Sin did gigagravia. And Yuna countered with holy. Main character double casted Ultima. And Riku which was supposed cast Flare said instead. Look he's going down after only three attacks.
FF IV there were some mechas and other stuff.
FF VII there was a man with machine gun, but it was materia shenanigan that when applied to sword could do stuff...
FF VIII there was a sniper, but it was Selphie who can roll Rupture as limit break and one hit kill Omega weapon.
...

But, it's not only about damage, it's about range, and ability to stay out of danger and just plink shots at enemy, which tends to enforce low risk low reward gameplay.
Wizardry VII allowed to loot BIG HANDGUNS and ammo from these rhino alien, and use them in combat. They were good early even with limited ammo. But, they were useless against Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Imagine you'd be able to use dragon form in Divinity II to kill most of enemies on the ground. Would that be engaging gameplay?

 

[Elttharion]

So, I’ve been thinking, if Avowed had been out in November it’d probably sold more copies: empty release window, good previews, Veilguard disappointment, no Hansen debacle and the game seems to be pretty much finished. So the only reason it was moved to 2025, is to clear Game Pass schedule of releases(according to Spencer anyway), basically give a room to Indiana game(releases in early December).
So, hmm… Did Todd Howard just destroyed Obsidian again? Couldn’t do it properly the last time(whole 84/85 metacritic schtick) and now decided to finish the job?
Well, guess nobody messes with the Chess Master.

They also moved the game to avoid Stalker. They wanted to space out game pass releases, funny how that worked out. But yeah, it would be in a much better spot now. As things stand it will compete with CIV 7, Kingdom Come 2, AC Shadows, Yakuza and Monster Hunter. There are also some smaller games like Tomb Raider remaster and another Legend of Heroes.

They should move this game to january as it is a much lighter month, tho I expect at least a couple of these will be delayed.

 

[aweigh]

the only reason avowed's release window was moved was because they're literally still working on the game and will be until it goes gold 30 minutes before the day of release, and it will still be barely finished.

 

[Cyberarmy]

We joke but I'd consider playing a demo for Avowed if available.

I'm probably different to most here in that I've not actually played a post-2010 Obsidian release or, frankly, many post-Skyrim wRPGs (and I got to Skyrim very late). Something of an overvalued idea of mine is that Skyrim fundamentally poisoned the well in terms of its influence on gaming. Crap RPG, sub-par action game, extremely technically impressive world space for the time and, of course, monstrously successful. Hence, graphically impressive open worlds at the expense of everything else became the ideal. For years now a lot of the technical talent in the Western gaming industry has been invested into making so many impressive vistas filled with so little interesting gameplay.

This makes Avowed interesting to me as, over 13 years later, it seems like the most directly analogous game to Skyrim ever made outside of Bethesda's own offerings. Could be a handy synthesis of what design lessons have and haven't been learned in the years post Skyrim's release. Part of a Rosetta Stone for understanding where the hobby is at now, with BG3 and DA4 being the other fragments (not that I'll ever play DA4).

Or you can simply try Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon instead. A good part of its on early access, its cheaper and a good game.

 

[Skinwalker]

Should I even bother making an Awokedsisters list, or is literally no one besides Rougay going to bother playing this trash?

 

[aweigh]

"This makes Avowed interesting to me as, over 13 years later, it seems like the most directly analogous game to Skyrim ever made outside of Bethesda's own offerings. "

ackshually, i'd say that candidate is Kingdom Come: Deliverance. KCD is what you'd get if Bethesda devs were talented.

Obsidian beth-likes like The Outer Worlds and Avowed are actually diametrically opposed to Skyrim on a fundamental design level due to lack of systems like day-night cycles, NPC routines, NPC inventories, dynamic questing solutions (resolving quests through systemic gameplay means besides just picking a dialogue option, like for exampling in KCD stealing a quest item from a sleeping NPC that you stalked throughout town to watch his routine, or waiting for an NPC to travel outside of town to murder him), etc.

And besides those things the Obsidian beth-likes don't take place in a contiguous open world space, unlike Oblivion and Skyrim and Fallout 3. This is also related to why the Obs offerings lack in systems. Where is an NPC going to patrol to? Nowhere. That's why TOW guards stand rooted to the spot.

None of the systems stuff you see in Oblivion and Skyrim is present in any Obsidian game, wasn't present in TOW and won't be present in Avowed. Hell, not even Starfield has any of it, so there is literally no comparison other than KC:D.

 

[notpl]

It really is funny that everyone else has had 13 years to make Skyrim But Better and they simply can't do it. Hell, even Bethesda couldn't do it. Nobody has even managed Slightly Worse Skyrim. Hundreds of millions of dollars just lying around waiting for someone to pick it up, but it apparently isn't possible.

 

[Heroic Liberator]

Or you can simply try Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon instead. A good part of its on early access, its cheaper and a good game.

Definitely looking forward to the full release.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

It really is funny that everyone else has had 13 years to make Skyrim But Better and they simply can't do it. Hell, even Bethesda couldn't do it. Nobody has even managed Slightly Worse Skyrim. Hundreds of millions of dollars just lying around waiting for someone to pick it up, but it apparently isn't possible.

Skyrim/Fallout3/Oblivion/Morrowind with a pregenerated character and dozens of hours of semi-interactive cutscenes, sold quite well

 

[processdaemon]

Should I even bother making an Awokedsisters list, or is literally no one besides Rougay going to bother playing this trash?

I am going to play it but a list seems pointless since there is already a poll if anyone wants to know who is playing. The only other reason I could think of to create a list would be to shame people who want to play it out of doing so, but since I doubt many people here are under the age of 13 I can't see the possibility of going on a naughty list affecting anyone's purchasing decisions.

 

[Yosharian]

Imagine being such a fucking child that you make lists of people who play a specific game

This is the sort of thing a 12 year old jerks themselves off to

 

[Oberon]

Imagine being such a fucking child that you make lists of people who play a specific game

This is the sort of thing a 12 year old jerks themselves off to

*adds you to the list*

 

[HumanTotemPole]

"This makes Avowed interesting to me as, over 13 years later, it seems like the most directly analogous game to Skyrim ever made outside of Bethesda's own offerings. "

ackshually, i'd say that candidate is Kingdom Come: Deliverance. KCD is what you'd get if Bethesda devs were talented.

Obsidian beth-likes like The Outer Worlds and Avowed are actually diametrically opposed to Skyrim on a fundamental design level due to lack of systems like day-night cycles, NPC routines, NPC inventories, dynamic questing solutions (resolving quests through systemic gameplay means besides just picking a dialogue option, like for exampling in KCD stealing a quest item from a sleeping NPC that you stalked throughout town to watch his routine, or waiting for an NPC to travel outside of town to murder him), etc.

And besides those things the Obsidian beth-likes don't take place in a contiguous open world space, unlike Oblivion and Skyrim and Fallout 3. This is also related to why the Obs offerings lack in systems. Where is an NPC going to patrol to? Nowhere. That's why TOW guards stand rooted to the spot.

None of the systems stuff you see in Oblivion and Skyrim is present in any Obsidian game, wasn't present in TOW and won't be present in Avowed. Hell, not even Starfield has any of it, so there is literally no comparison other than KC:D.

A good Skyrim clone? Perish the thought!

More seriously - fair enough, I hadn't realised that KC:D was that close in design philosophy. The Kickstarter made it seem like Vávra was pitching historical accuracy above all else (not a bad thing) and I didn't keep up with the game afterwards. Another one for the list.

 

[Morgoth]

So, I’ve been thinking, if Avowed had been out in November it’d probably sold more copies: empty release window, good previews, Veilguard disappointment, no Hansen debacle and the game seems to be pretty much finished. So the only reason it was moved to 2025, is to clear Game Pass schedule of releases(according to Spencer anyway), basically give a room to Indiana game(releases in early December).
So, hmm… Did Todd Howard just destroyed Obsidian again? Couldn’t do it properly the last time(whole 84/85 metacritic schtick) and now decided to finish the job?
Well, guess nobody messes with the Chess Master.

January would be a good compromise. The game is for all intents and purposes finished, releasing it a month earlier would increase its chances drastically.

 

[scytheavatar]

So, I’ve been thinking, if Avowed had been out in November it’d probably sold more copies: empty release window, good previews, Veilguard disappointment, no Hansen debacle and the game seems to be pretty much finished. So the only reason it was moved to 2025, is to clear Game Pass schedule of releases(according to Spencer anyway), basically give a room to Indiana game(releases in early December).
So, hmm… Did Todd Howard just destroyed Obsidian again? Couldn’t do it properly the last time(whole 84/85 metacritic schtick) and now decided to finish the job?
Well, guess nobody messes with the Chess Master.

January would be a good compromise. The game is for all intents and purposes finished, releasing it a month earlier would increase its chances drastically.

Game companies don't release their games in Jan because no one wants to work during December. And all reports are that a lot of work still needs to be done on Avowed.

 

[AwesomeButton]

Skyrim was a shit RPG, why would any player with taste want "Skyrim but better" wtf does that even mean. Idiots like this should be banned on sight.

 

[Nifft Batuff]

Skyrim was a shit RPG, why would any player with taste want "Skyrim but better" wtf does that even mean. Idiots like this should be banned on sight.

You can consider Morrowind an example of "like Skyrim but better".

 

[Yosharian]

Skyrim was a shit RPG, why would any player with taste want "Skyrim but better" wtf does that even mean. Idiots like this should be banned on sight.

But it's almost a good game with 1000 mods =D

 

[Wesp5]

January would be a good compromise. The game is for all intents and purposes finished, releasing it a month earlier would increase its chances drastically.

Maybe KCD:2 will be delayed as well...

 

[Roguey]

Should I even bother making an Awokedsisters list, or is literally no one besides Rougay going to bother playing this trash?

I won't be playing it until 2026 at the very earliest.