Avowed

"The world it presents is beautiful and engaging, and the sheer level of weapon variety present can lead to some of the most flexible combat I’ve ever played from a first-person perspective. Full stop. However, beneath such flashy sights lay …"

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

"Avowed&s;s impactful and satisfying combat is undone by a widely unbalanced upgrade system and an uninteresting story that wastes its potential."

"Avowed marks a significant step up for Obsidian compared to The Outer Worlds. The game retains the studio&s;s signature excellent writing and narrative while improving the combat (especially the challenge level) and providing a lot of great content to go …"

"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 …"

"Avowed demonstrates that Obsidian remains a studio capable of challenging RPG genre conventions. They&s;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 …"

""I&s;ll not soon forget my time with Avowed – chaos, comedy, catastrophe, and all.""

"Avowed on PS5 is a focused, polished RPG that thrives on combat variety, skill depth, and companion-driven encounters. Expanded progression systems and gear upgrades make your chosen playstyle feel consistently rewarding, while companions add tactical and narrative depth to every …"

"Avowed is a solid action RPG with an entertaining script, satisfying combat and impressively detailed environments. The inability to clean up side quests after the main story is beaten can be frustrating, but take your time with it and enjoy …"

"Avowed may not reach the level of memorable and Obsidian must continue looking for its next big mainstream hit if it doesn&s;t want to live eternally off the fame of Fallout New Vegas, but this new game is well worth …"

"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 …"

"Avowed delivers where it matters: an interesting world with memorable companions and a rich combat system that rewards experimentation. Pillars of Eternity fans will feast on the various nods and references to the beloved CRPGs, but newcomers to Eora will …"

"While balanced in a way that forces the player to experience almost everything the game has to offer, Avowed is still a lot of fun. A great story, fun companions, and a richly designed world all contribute to an overall …"

"While Avowed is clearly not going to revolutionize the RPG genre, it nevertheless presents itself as a competent title in its category, in several areas."

"The result of all this is that I’m pretty much obsessed with Avowed. After overinflated maps, exploration without reward, and other frustrations encountered in the last few years, Avowed feels like a dream to play. It fully embraces the fantasy …"

"Avowed isn&s;t what I expected, but I loved every second. It&s;s the type of game I&s;ll gladly play through again and again, a feat made easier by its somewhat short runtime."

"It may not be groundbreaking, but Avowed certainly leaves one hell of a mark on the RPG genre. The game&s;s fun, challenging, and extremely enjoyable to play from start to finish, even when you&s;re being hounded by giant mechanical undead …"

"Avowed is full of consequential player choices, meaningful side content and rewarding exploration all backed up by slick movement and some of the best combat in a first-person action RPG. It might not reinvent the genre, but Obsidian has achieved …"

"Avowed&s;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."

"Avowed is a game that I was cautiously optimistic about. The Outer Worlds was fine but didn’t hit me as well as I hoped. I am also not a big fan of spending more time chatting with companions unless they …"

"Obsidian&s;s huge, heavily detailed fantasy world has a lot of variety and texture, and interesting people to meet - but the combat and exploration wear thin"

"A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won&s;t cause massive damage."

"Avowed has incredible writing and world-building."

"Avowed isn&s;t going to be the next Baldur&s;s Gate 3, or this generation&s;s Skyrim, being closer to The Outer Worlds than either of those games. And exactly like The Outer World, it&s;s a great action-oriented RPG set in a bizarre …"

"Thanks to its legacy of the excellent Pillars of Eternity games, Avowed is built on a strong foundation. That comes through in every aspect of the game, from its deep lore to its exceptional world-building, characters, and writing. Smartly avoiding …"

"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 …"

"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."

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

"Avowed is arguably Obsidian&s;s strongest modern release, and it&s;s not for the reasons that you may think. While the game&s;s writing and storytelling often lack bite and excitement, its gameplay saves the day with a cracking combat system, meaningful player …"

"Once again, Xbox delivers a fantastic exclusive. Obsidian Entertainment&s;s work effectively employs all of the studio&s;s strengths, resulting in a top-notch experience that will be endearing to all who give it a chance."

"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."

"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."

"While the Elder Scrolls comparisons don&s;t entirely parallel what you&s;ll experience with Avowed, mainly due to the heavy handed direct storytelling, Obsidian still managest to pull off a great open world RPG with a lot of exciting moments. If you&s;re …"

"Avowed embraces what works best about Obsidian Entertainment&s;s games to offer an unforgettable adventure."

"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."

"The PlayStation 5 version of Avowed is a total blast, allowing Obsidian’s action RPG to truly shine with its Anniversary Update included."