After Avowed’s more generous presentation, Obsidian Entertainment got in on the interview game. The opportunity to learn a little more about the next big RPG for the Xbox Series.
Xbox was particularly expected at the turnaround with its Developer Direct. While the competition’s calendar is very vague, the green brand took the time to introduce its next four in-house exclusives. Indiana Jones and the Ancient Circle has obviously been at the center of everyone’s conversation, but RPG lovers have been waiting with great curiosity for Avowed. A kind of Skyrim-like signed Obsidian Entertainment set in the Pillars of Eternity universe and seems to be in line with what the studio had already offered with The Outer Worlds. The combat seems weak at first glance, but the game should more than make up for this with the narrative part and writing style. Obsidian has just announced new details about its Xbox Series exclusivity.
New details about Avowed’s companions
Obsidian has established itself as one of the tenors of role-playing games in recent years. Fallout New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, the studio knows how to do it. Avowed will return to the first-person perspective and a semi-open world with large, fully explorable, interconnected areas. On the gameplay side, the game promises various offensive and defensive approaches, but a majority of players expect it more from the narrative side. During an interview with PCGamerCarrie Patel (Game Director) and Gabe Paramo (Gameplay Director) gave more details about Avowed and especially the companions. We will stop you immediately, don’t expect Baldur’s Gate 3.
It is confirmed that there will be no approval system. In other words, unlike BioWare or Larian games, to name a few, your comrades will not leave the group depending on the decisions you make. So it seems that even when you commit the worst atrocities, the kindest character stays by your side. On the other hand, it will influence their own decisions and their stories. “ We didn’t want players to feel like they had to choose a “good” option to keep their companions with them. So it’s not about maintaining consent, it’s about getting to know them and building a relationship with them […] and discover their perspective on the world Obsidian explained.
No romance?
An approach that, when put like this, does not meet with the warmest response. There are many people who enjoy building relationships with their fellow travelers and, above all, seeing how they react to their decisions, good or bad, and making them known all over social networks. “It’s part of the personality of the characters, they run the risk of being flat and tasteless,” comments one role-playing game fan, for example, not without a hint of disappointment.
If this is yet to be confirmed, it also seems that there is no romance planned in Avowed from what the PCGamer journalist has understood. Although this remains only an interpretation on his part after his interview with the team, it also triggered a reaction. Unsurprisingly, the balance is once again trending negatively, with many players enjoying little romances with their comrades. So much for your waifu.
Obsidian also took the opportunity to confirm that we will be able to be accompanied in battle by two characters that we can choose. However, on rare occasions, Avowed requires the selection of specific individuals, particularly based on their knowledge and expertise, appropriate to the ongoing mission or story. Otherwise, you have the king’s choice. However, we don’t yet know how many companions can be recruited in total. As for combat, it will be possible to give them orders, but Obsidian mitigates: it will be very simple and there will be no dimension of micromanagement. That should reassure some.
People from all over the web are all well and good, but you? What do you think of this approach to companions?
