That issue is most apparent during boss fights. When you are squaring off against a group of foes, you at least need to be aware of your surroundings. Against single targets, it’s remarkably easy to trap them in a series of abilities and move around the boss fight arena without ever really feeling like you are battling anything more substantial than the hollow feeling that comes with the inevitability of victory. 

Some of these combat flaws could be addressed by enhanced visuals and sound effects that give fights a little more “oomph” and make enemies feel less spongey. What Avowed really needs, though, are the kinds of items, abilities, and enemies that open up creative and enjoyable new possibilities. 

At the moment, I’m not sure we’ll get those from the melee and projectile-based skill trees, which largely focus on “increase damage by X%” type effects. Only the magic-based trees seem to allow you to consistently work towards more elaborate abilities. I’ve heard that later parts of the game do feature new weapons and armor that open up similar possibilities for multiple playstyles, but I only found relatively simple examples of such items during my early slice of the game. 

Avowed Has Potential, But It’s Not Clear How the Game Will Realize It

Avowed isn’t trying to be Skyrim. A couple of hours with the game left me with a lot of questions about Obsidian’s latest, but there is no ambiguity on that point. If you’re looking for a comparison, think of Avowed as an almost Dark Messiah of Might and Magic experience with more involved RPG components and exploration options. 

So far as that goes, Avowed is certainly a fun time. There is a pick-up-and-play quality to the experience that is easy to love and that’s enhanced by the depth of the combat possibilities, dialogue options, and the many secrets to be found in the world. It should be a fantastic Game Pass title. 

If Avowed has another gear, though, I haven’t seen it get there yet. Forget about other studios. As an action game with RPG elements, Avowed doesn’t feel as inventive as Obsidian’s espionage third-person shooter Alpha Protocol. As a pure RPG, it’s nowhere near as deep or ambitious as the Pillars of Eternity series Avowed shares a universe with. And as a more action-oriented modern RPG that resembles another notable franchise at a glance, it doesn’t currently feel as tight, funny, or clever as The Outer Worlds.