Avowed: The Importance of Player Choice and Freedom in Obsidian Entertainment’s New Fantasy Game
In the highly anticipated first-person RPG Avowed, Obsidian Entertainment emphasizes the significance of player choice and freedom. The developers have revealed that in this classless RPG, there is no one perfect character build. According to Gameplay Director Gabe Paramo in an interview with Gamesradar+, “In Obsidian, it’s your own testament, your own path, right?” This philosophy is evident in the dual-wielding combat system, which allows players to combine any two equipment elements at once. Paramo refers to this as “combinatorics,” despite the teasing he receives for the term.
“It’s the ability to hold a pistol in your right hand and a shield in the other,” Paramo continues. “Defensive and yet shooting. It’s about choice and consequences. For example, I use a knife that is fast and silent, but also a pistol that is loud and has a slightly longer reload time.”
Initially, Obsidian’s focus on player agency made me a bit skeptical. Where is the motivation to play a role in a world that never opposes you? However, the studio’s track record gives me hope that the forthcoming game will be more intriguing than these effortless choices, much like titles such as KOTOR 2, Fallout: New Vegas, and the Pillars of Eternity duology, which share a similar background with Avowed.
Fortunately, Paramo has also revealed that there are “benefits and drawbacks to all choices.” There is no “one perfect character build; it’s about choice and the consequences of how you equip your character.” However, some consequences are not permanent, as you also have the ability to change your hero’s specialization at any time to experiment with different weapon and shield combinations.
The player’s freedom in character building aims to adapt to challenges, both through different fighting styles and interaction with the environment. For example, using fire magic may be necessary to melt ice, while heavy weaponry can be useful for cutting through foliage. It sounds really cool, although it’s a shame we didn’t get to see it in Xbox Developer Direct 2024.
The developers previously revealed that Avowed has plenty of content that “not everyone will discover.” In this regard, we won’t be short on choices and freedoms.
