Summary
Avowedrecently received a lot of attention at this year’s Xbox Developer Direct, being a bold fantasy RPG project from Obsidian Entertainment. The themes and core gameplay of the title have drawn comparisons to other fantasy giants likeThe Elder Scrollsfor some time, although Obsidian is more at home with another major Bethesda franchise.
AlthoughAvowedseems to share a lot of similarities withThe Elder Scrolls, recent reports seem to indicate that the release will lack the same scale as the likes ofSkyrim. This does not take anything away fromAvowed, however, and Obsidian Entertainment’s successful past projectFallout: New Vegasis a perfect example of how the studio can make more intimate games excel through quality, not quantity.
A Smaller Scale For Avowed is a Perfect Fit For Obsidian Entertainment
Avoweddrew comparisons toThe Elder Scrollsas soon as it was announced, with its fantasy RPG setting and wide range of combat having a lot of similarities with the Bethesda IP. WithSkyrimnow having originally released well over a decade ago, fans ofTESare desperate for a fresh experience, andAvowedcould fill the gap.
However,Avowedactually owes its fantastical roots to thePillars of Eternityfranchise;Avowedshares the same setting as thePoEgames. With this in mind, it seems best that fans draw their expectations away fromAvowedbeing a love letter toSkyrim. Obsidian Entertainment is arguably best known for its foray into theFalloutfranchise, with 2010’sFallout: New Vegasbecoming a sort of cult classic entry to many fans.
As a spin-off to the mainlineFalloutgames,New Vegashad much less available resources than the likes ofFallout 3, and Obsidian Entertainment proved itself as more than capable of meeting expectations despite this limitation.New Vegasmade the Mojave feel vibrant and captivatingdespite its barren aesthetic, doing more for the lore of the franchise than many mainline entries in the eyes of some fans.
Avowed’s Smaller Scale Could Be Just What the Industry Needs
Reports suggest thatAvowed’s scale will be more in-line withprevious Obsidian games likeThe Outer Worldsas opposed toSkyrim, but this could easily be the best move for the upcoming title. Recent major releases such asStarfieldhave proven that bigger does not always mean better. The current landscape of the industry sees increasing demand for more intimate and densely packed experiences.
Fallout: New Vegasis the perfect example of Obsidian Entertainment being well suited to achieve this, with a smaller but more memorable experience seemingly being atthe core ofAvowed’s development cycle.Avowedmay just find itself in the perfect position to capitalize on the fan-led desire for a fresh fantasy RPG and smaller-scale games in general, and if the title is anything likeNew Vegas,it could be just as impactful asSkyrimwithout borrowing too much from the game.
WhileAvowedis currently being billed as a more intimate release, this could change further into the title’s development cycle.
