Avowed Review

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When you refer to a game as ‘unfinished’, it typically brings to mind certain visuals. These might include rough textures, empty NPC expressions, instances of characters passing through walls or floors, and an overall sense of glitches hindering progress. However, it’s important to note that Avowed, despite the Avowed director Carrie Patel using the term “jank” to prepare players for potential issues, is not unfinished in this conventional sense. Instead, its incompleteness lies on a more profound and, unfortunately, harder-to-address level than just needing a few extra weeks to smooth out minor problems.

In every direction you venture in the game Avowed, it seems like hitting a brick wall. The game aims for complexity, yet falls short, diving too deep without the ability to deliver. During my playthrough, I conversed with a council, but both members were unsupportive of my proposal. One confided in me later that it was all a scheme against the other. I informed the other, but she didn’t buy it. Nothing shifted; it felt like engaging in a pretend scenario within a predetermined storyline. On another occasion, I was forced to battle ‘Desperate Smugglers’ labeled characters before reaching their camp summit. To my surprise, these smugglers were indeed desperate, and I had the chance – actually, an obligation – to aid them instead. This pattern, whether large or small, is prevalent throughout Avowed.

Avowed Is A Shallow Experience

The story lacks originality as it heavily relies on common tropes, failing to captivate my interest. In an unexpected turn for the fantasy world, there’s a malady afflicting the realm. The events often feel predictable, reminiscent of stories you’ve heard countless times before. However, when it strays from these familiar patterns, there are hints of the unpolished aspects reappearing.

As I encounter one of my comrades, they lead me to their basement, a place untouched since an extraordinary event. In this hidden space, they reveal their life-altering secret – their parents have been transformed into trees. This revelation unfolds over a short sequence of seemingly trivial tasks, yet it’s presented with dramatic flair that belies its brevity. It seems this was once part of a more extensive quest line, as two other companions also receive such side adventures. Sadly, the fourth companion appears to have been overlooked in this regard.

The game seems somewhat akin to playing Dungeons & Dragons with a DM who excels in character voices yet lacks in other aspects. The quests appear unoriginal and the choices given are superficial, often leading to the same outcome or presenting a choice between clear-cut good and evil options that still lead to the same result. It’s a game that promises depth but ultimately fails to deliver, which is a more significant flaw than merely lacking substance in the first place.

Envoy & Kai: Up Your Arsenal

In terms of gameplay, things are significantly improved. The game ‘Avowed’ allows for play in either first- or third-person perspectives, and both seem equally enjoyable. I predominantly played in third-person, which is less common, but I encountered no issues. As far as the story goes, I don’t think a first-person perspective would have made much of a difference.

Avowed highlights a wide array of customizable loadouts, allowing you to carry two weapons simultaneously and even utilize off-hand equipment. During gameplay, I utilized a diverse range of combinations such as pistol with shield, shield with sword, sword with wand, wand with spear, spear with grimoire, grimoire with axe, and axe with pistol. Additionally, there are two-handed options for swords, hammers, axes, bows, and arquebuses to explore.

This version introduces an alternative way to engage in battles, which I find commendable due to its skillful handling of gun mechanics. While potent, guns require time to load, reflecting historical accuracy and maintaining the game’s balance between firepower and magic. Despite some imperfections, such as ‘charged’ attacks and initial uselessness until mid-game, it makes a noble attempt at blending gunplay with sorcery.

Fighting turns out to be more complex than it appears at first glance, and close-quarter battles can feel awkward without a well-implemented lock-on system in place.

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Engaging in combat may seem straightforward, but it’s actually trickier than you think, and hand-to-hand fighting becomes cumbersome when there isn’t a reliable targeting mechanism involved.

In the game Avowed, the skill systems, unlike traditional class systems, are adaptable. This means you can freely pick abilities from the Fighter, Ranger, and Wizard branches. For instance, in my gameplay, I chose a character who specialized as a Wizard, using a wand with an off-hand item while focusing on fire spells. However, I also dabbled in summoning a ghostly bear and increasing critical hit chances from the Ranger tree. Additionally, I wore heavy armor from the Fighter class and switched to a two-handed sword or hammer whenever required. The advantage of this setup is that it offers versatility, but at the cost of having many skills that seem repetitive, encouraging you to be a master of all trades. Despite this drawback, I believe most players will appreciate this freedom, and personally, I found it very enjoyable.

In essence, playing Avowed seems more like navigating through molasses in your console. Healing, changing weapons, executing attacks, moving around, and even dialogues feel exceptionally slow. Instant healing is not instantaneous but gradual, rendering it ineffective during combat. Improvements can be made to these aspects through skill trees, yet they only bring the game to a level of normalcy, rather than enhancing the experience to make you feel powerful. Unfortunately, the lengthy conversations with limited context or character development cannot be rescued by the skill trees.

Avowed Is Good But It Wants To Be Great

Avowed exhibits a consistent level of craftsmanship that sets it apart, even if it may not attain legendary status comparable to triple-A titles. The game’s scale is undeniably impressive, despite the presence of numerous dead ends. To be more specific, there are numerous areas that could potentially lead nowhere. Upon my initial playthrough, I spent around 40 hours completing the game, and with unresolved bounties and uncharted territories still waiting, I estimate an additional 10 to 15 hours of gameplay is available.

The food may not be exceptional, but the large portions are appreciated. That’s my take on Avowed. While it offers diverse combat within its storyline, it’s somewhat overused, making it challenging to connect with the game emotionally. However, if you’re seeking a game that provides a mix of locations to explore and enough combat to test your skills, Avowed fits the bill reasonably well. You might find yourself compelled to complete it, but at times, you may question why.

Avowed is an earnest effort at creating an immersive fantasy game that allows for player choice, yet its narrative falls short despite competent combat mechanics. Ambitiously designed, it unfortunately fails to meet expectations. Essentially, it’s a less-than-stellar rendition of the grandeur it aspires to, but it still manages to be a decent iteration of an Ordinary Video Game. The plot lacks direction and resolution, but perhaps the adventure itself is what makes the trip worthwhile.

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2025-02-13 17:06