RPS Verdict: Avowed

Gosh, haven't done one of these in a while, have we? Or possibly one of these. Or these?! The silly amount of tags for this semi-regular format are surely proof of its enduring appeal, so we're back in Hivemind form to talk about Obsidian's latest RPG Avowed. We've all played it, and we all have mildly different opinions on it - the stuff that thrilling conversations are made of. Onward! Nic: James did you work out how to freeze things yet? James: I’ll explain this quickly so Nic can get on to complaining about Avowed having the wrong kinds of boxes. But yes, I did get stuck on an early main quest that required me to use ice magic to create frozen platforms for crossing water, an otherwise neat little systems thingy that had not been communicated or hinted at before that point, but was communicated and hinted at during the following main quest. Otherwise, I’m having an okayish time? It doesn’t have the Skyrim-tier expansiveness I always hope for with these kinds of games, but its world is a pretty one, and it’s got some quality close-quarters mageing. Nic: Look. I feel passionately about those crates. There are two types of crates. You can only smash the crates that have the special 'smash me' icon on them. I don't want a crate to "come hither" me. Takes all the fun out of the petty vandalism. It's funny though because those two qualities you mention, James - the world and magic - are the same ones I thought were Avowed's strongest elements. How are you both finding the actual questing? Read more

Feb 13, 2025 - 18:03

Gosh, haven't done one of these in a while, have we? Or possibly one of these. Or these?! The silly amount of tags for this semi-regular format are surely proof of its enduring appeal, so we're back in Hivemind form to talk about Obsidian's latest RPG Avowed. We've all played it, and we all have mildly different opinions on it - the stuff that thrilling conversations are made of. Onward!

Nic: James did you work out how to freeze things yet?

James: I’ll explain this quickly so Nic can get on to complaining about Avowed having the wrong kinds of boxes. But yes, I did get stuck on an early main quest that required me to use ice magic to create frozen platforms for crossing water, an otherwise neat little systems thingy that had not been communicated or hinted at before that point, but was communicated and hinted at during the following main quest.

Otherwise, I’m having an okayish time? It doesn’t have the Skyrim-tier expansiveness I always hope for with these kinds of games, but its world is a pretty one, and it’s got some quality close-quarters mageing.

Nic: Look. I feel passionately about those crates. There are two types of crates. You can only smash the crates that have the special 'smash me' icon on them. I don't want a crate to "come hither" me. Takes all the fun out of the petty vandalism.

It's funny though because those two qualities you mention, James - the world and magic - are the same ones I thought were Avowed's strongest elements. How are you both finding the actual questing?