• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Avowed - Anniversary Update Preview

The world looks good but sometimes I wonder if devs make characters look intentionally ugly...
They look like some asset flip characters you get by default with the engine or something, there's like zero effort put into making them look appealing.
 
If I get downtime I may give NG+ another go with these changes. Go ranger build this time. I didn't enjoy the writing at all in this game, but I did enjoy the gameplay and biomes.
 
EntelechyFuff said:
Not to derail the thread (apologies mods, I'm still getting used to the rules here) but can anyone who actually played Avowed share some opinions on whether they think it is good or worth the time, a year after release? I'm also curious how well it "fits" in the PoE world.

Thanks, and please no ban.
Click to expand...
Great game IMO. Played on launch. Combat is fun, not class based. You have access to 3 skill lines and you lean whichever way you want and while you aren't limited by class, your choices inherently limit your overall reach (ie going some distance down fighter tree means inevitably less reach down wizard tree so there are consequences- which is good).

Difficulty is not super high even on hardest difficulty (path of the damned), but at times can be challenging in certain encounters and wouldn't have wanted to play on lower difficulties.

World is beautiful, I had no technical problems. Landscape design is really nice, screenshot central when I was playing.

Verticality is really nice in some areas, lots of little secrets to find scattered about. Gameplay feels really good, best first person RPG combat I've ever played. I was a hybrid sword and shield with some magic thrown in like aoe blizzard etc.

There are some decisions to make that affect things later in the game, but nothing crazy. Story is solid but not amazing. As far as fitting into Pillars - it's separate but basically uses the lore as a skin. There are a lot of references to the earlier games found in books but no direct ties really in other express ways. I thought it fit really well though, I love Pillars. I really want Pillars 3, but I also want Avowed 2. I liked it.

What it's not: Skyrim. It's not a game designed to be like Skyrim, ie it's not open world. It's open zone and linear progression of zones. Ie the zone is open once you get to it, but each zone is story gated. All objects aren't interactive, etc. It's more like Mass Effect in terms of design style than something like KCD or TES.

But yeah, I say play it. Lot of haters out there though. I plan to replay it when the update drops, I probably would have played again at launch if new game plus had been in.
 
SonicVolcano said:
Want to give this game a fair chance. Any fun build recommendations?
Click to expand...

I played John Wick style with dual pistols + Arquebuse 2h swap for most of the game, felt really fucking good to pinpoint headshots with the slow motions.




My NG+ run will be Wizard for sure. I want something like this. Wizards are insane in this game for what I tried.



Neat thing is the game gives you all weapon archetypes in the tutorial as to get a feel of what combat situation you'll prefer. They're all viable. And you don't need to stick to an archetype, you can be gun blazing and then use spells to be a gun mage. Etc. You can respec easily too.



Only thing to think about is where you're gonna spend crafting material for weapons upgrade as, when the game launched at least, no idea if it was patched, the materials were hard to come buy for the later upgrades, so ideally you know by the first open world map what kind of character you want to be to not waste too many ressources.

If melee is more your thing, there's a ton of crazy builds out there too on youtube.
 
Last edited:
Buggy Loop said:
I played John Wick style with dual pistols + Arquebuse 2h swap for most of the game, felt really fucking good to pinpoint headshots with the slow motions.




My NG+ run will be Wizard for sure. I want something like this. Wizards are insane in this game for what I tried.



Neat thing is the game gives you all weapon archetypes in the tutorial as to get a feel of what combat situation you'll prefer. They're all viable. And you don't need to stick to an archetype, you can be gun blazing and then use spells to be a gun mage. Etc. You can respec easily too.



Only thing to think about is where you're gonna spend crafting material for weapons upgrade as, when the game launched at least, no idea if it was patched, the materials were hard to come buy for the later upgrades, so ideally you know by the first open world map what kind of character you want to be to not waste too many ressources.

If melee is more your thing, there's a ton of crazy builds out there too on youtube.
Click to expand...

Appreciate your thorough answer. Looks like a fun game!
 
I never understood the hate boner for the game. For me, the worst you can say was that it's very average. I thought the sense of exploration was great. To anyone on the fence, check it out on game pass and form your own opinion.
It's a growing list of games like Outer Worlds 2, AC Shadows (fortunately I came around on this one.) and post patched SW Outlaws that places like X and Neogaf tell me is the worst ever with zero redeeming qualities.
 
The worst part about this game is the writing. For me that is an unforgivable sin in an RPG. Everything else is good to meh but the game is too much a product of modern thinking and hence can't portray any character in a meaningful way.

I did not feel that way with outer worlds 1 so hopefully this was just the C team and won't be a sign of Obsidians output going forward.
 
winjer said:
The 300 people still playing this thing, will appreciate the update.
Click to expand...
Nice try.
Number is 940.

MePhi8FrlHFPn8V2.jpg


😂

Game always looked like the "Skyrim at home" game to me.
 
Hollywood Hitman said:
Been waitin for this to drop on the 5 and man I just don't get how any rpg fan could dislike this game, the world they made is pretty awesome, weird, atmospheric. Loving this
Click to expand...

Peoples fell for youtube grift rather than trying it out themselves. By no means a perfect game but anyone who likes any fantasy world, especially Eora from Pillars of Eternity, is well served here.
 
Buggy Loop said:
Peoples fell for youtube grift rather than trying it out themselves. By no means a perfect game but anyone who likes any fantasy world, especially Eora from Pillars of Eternity, is well served here.
Click to expand...
Absolutely man, I mean the way it plays honestly feels like it could even be in the world of Elder scrolls. Just even that opening area I'm exploring every nook and cranny and it's just fun, alot of combat styles, plenty of skills and ways to play... It's a sweet game. The hate is imo laughable
 
Last edited:
Hollywood Hitman said:
Absolutely man, I mean the way it plays honestly feels like it could even be in the world of Elder scrolls. Just even that opening area I'm exploring every nook and cranny and it's just fun, alot of combat styles, plenty of skills and ways to play... It's a sweet game. The hate is imp laughable
Click to expand...

Now I am excited to buy it! But I promised myself only one game this pay period and I already bought one!

Bryan Cranston Reaction GIF
 
EntelechyFuff said:
Not to derail the thread (apologies mods, I'm still getting used to the rules here) but can anyone who actually played Avowed share some opinions on whether they think it is good or worth the time, a year after release? I'm also curious how well it "fits" in the PoE world.

Thanks, and please no ban.
Click to expand...
it was good for me.. but you have to play it like ff16... you have two loadout weapons that you can change with a button...is a smash button rpg ... quests are mid in writings but awsome level design so you do the quest just to explore the levels
 
Hollywood Hitman said:
Haha, yea dude I tried the same now I'm sitting here with avowed, but I'm working Nioh 3, Dragon Quest 7, and battlefield 6 season 2 just started.... I'm fucked 😂 😭
Click to expand...

I put off buying Nioh 3 because I was playing DQ7Re! lol

And then I had to buy Mario Tennis Fever because I am a massive tennis fan. But now Avowed is out!

Fozzie Bear Reaction GIF
 
"World interactivity added: splash effects on water, arrows physically interact with environment."
wow, so only 10 more anniversary updates and the world will actually feel alive?
 
xrnzaaas said:
"World interactivity added: splash effects on water, arrows physically interact with environment."
wow, so only 10 more anniversary updates and the world will actually feel alive?
Click to expand...
I guess those are cool and all but they didn't detract from my experience on launch and I don't see how they'll add anything to it today. That's just me though.
 
I see the game description mention the classes and weapons, which I knew about except for Godlike and guns.

What type of traits and style does Godlike bring?

Are guns actual guns, or more like magical physical projectiles?
 
Joe Cool said:
I see the game description mention the classes and weapons, which I knew about except for Godlike and guns.

What type of traits and style does Godlike bring?
Click to expand...

They're super powers basically that you will choose to unlock or not (you get an ability point if you don't pick it)

Joe Cool said:
Are guns actual guns, or more like magical physical projectiles?
Click to expand...

Guns

Pillars of Eternity 2 had them and it's pretty much a match

Dual pistols or 2h Arquebuse (basically a shotgun)

I played my first run gun blazing like John Wick, really fun and very powerful.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Avowed announced for PS5
2 3 4 5 6
280
2K
Joe Cool replied
  • Poll
Avowed or Outer Worlds 2?
2
62
892
Field replied
Atlus Launches Persona 30th Anniversary Website, 1st update on January 8th, 2026
48
952
V2Tommy replied
Any love for Avowed?
2 3
138
2K
MacReady13 replied
Mega Man Maker - Version 1.10 - 8th Anniversary Update
6
412
Dacvak replied
Top Bottom