Avowed

“A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.”

“With Avowed, the team at Obsidian manages the rare feat of grasping the scope of the project they’re building, and hitting the mark on most of the places it aims for. It’s not the biggest role-playing game, or the most innovative, but as I played, I was constantly aware of how much fun I was having by just letting the game carry me forward.”

“In that sense, Avowed is perfect proof of a great proof in all game design and in the execution of all art: you sometimes don’t need to pitch a revolution. Instead, you just need to have something to say, and then use the established tools and concepts to say it well.”

“Avowed isn't what I expected, but I loved every second. It's the type of game I'll gladly play through again and again, a feat made easier by its somewhat short runtime.”

“Avowed is a valiant attempt at fantasy you can play your way, but while it delivers well enough with combat, the narrative just isn’t there. Too ambitious in what it wants to do, it falls way short.”

“"I'll not soon forget my time with Avowed – chaos, comedy, catastrophe, and all."”

“Avowed's impactful and satisfying combat is undone by a widely unbalanced upgrade system and an uninteresting story that wastes its potential.”

“A traditional RPG with a lot of charm, Obsidian Entertainment continues to impress with Avowed.”

“A modestly ambitious action role-player, that’s very good at making you feel you have an impact on the world, but it’s let down by endless reams of mundane dialogue and predictable mechanics.”

“Avowed demonstrates that Obsidian remains a studio capable of challenging RPG genre conventions. They've created a more focused experience that seeks to innovate in fundamental gameplay mechanics. The combination of vertical exploration, magical combat, and complex narrative points to a title that aims to rise above genre clichés. However, the game suffers from fundamental inconsistencies that prevent it from reaching its full potential. The lack of voice acting, fragmented narrative, limited NPCs, and reduced content variety burden a proposition that promises more than it ultimately delivers. The ability to switch between perspectives, far from being innovative, ends up undermining immersion rather than enhancing it.”

“Avowed embraces what works best about Obsidian Entertainment's games to offer an unforgettable adventure.”

“Avowed may not reach the level of memorable and Obsidian must continue looking for its next big mainstream hit if it doesn't want to live eternally off the fame of Fallout New Vegas, but this new game is well worth a chance if you're a fan of the company .”

“What Avowed lacks in gloss it makes up for with charm, depth and a playful heart. It's one of this year's most pleasant surprises.”

“Avowed is an incredible RPG. Its vibrant world and stellar cast make every moment a joy to take part in, enhanced by a script that gives equal measure to drama, action and humour. Coming hot on the heels of Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, Microsoft's software revival is well underway.”

“Avowed is a perfectly competent RPG that showcases Obsidian’s writing and worldbuilding chops, but has little else to distinguish itself among swords-and-sorcery adventures.”

“Avowed's first-person combat and respect for player choice make it a journey worth having, but flaws in its story and design make it a one-way road.”

“Bigger than it first appears, Avowed is an engrossing and gorgeous action-RPG set in one of the most engaging fantasy worlds going, though it lacks the complex systems of its most beloved contemporaries.”