One of the things Microsoft was criticized for during the previous generation of consoles was a lack of first-part diversity. One of the genres, in particular, they were hit for lacking was a solid lineup of RPG games. They managed to rectify this by purchasing two of the biggest RPG developers in the industry, Bethesda Software, and Obsidian Entertainment. This put a lot of eyes on Obsidian’s upcoming Pillars of Eternity spin-off, simply known as Avowed.
Announced in July 2020, the game was one of the first looks Xbox gamers got at what the future of RPG titles would look like on the consoles. Though there were rumors we might see the game at E3 this year that turned out to be false, but they have not stopped the rumors about the title from trickling out.
Disclaimer – This information has not been verified, therefore this is not factual.
That’s to Jez Corden, the reported for Windows Central, we now have more information regarding Avowed. While most rumors should be taken with a grain of salt it is important to know Jez has been accurate on multiple things in the past, including co-op shooter Redfall being announced by Microsoft and Bethesda at E3.
The first thing he noted is that Avowed is still in the Pre-production stages of development. As such he stated that we can most likely expect to see the game at E3 in 2022, with a 2023 release date in mind. He also suggested there is a sliver of a chance we will see the game before this during the Video Game Awards, but that is less likely than E3 2022.
The game will also feature a more loadout-based playstyle than games like The Elder Scrolls. He stated in his article about the game:
The combat seems to be more loadout-based than The Elder Scrolls, which gives you mountains of spells in a gigantic list. Warriors will get access to more physical attacks like swordplay, powerful kicks, and shield bashes, while casters will be given a range of spellbook options to customize and tailor their combat style, with attacks bound to specific buttons.
He also stated that the game is set to be running on the same engine that ran another RPG from Obsidian, The Outer Worlds. This engine will be enhanced however to support deep RPG mechanics, as well as action-oriented combat. That being said he confirmed that he has only seen pre-alpha state and as such lighting had yet to be implemented as it will be near the final product. However, he did find the game more colorful than he had previously expected the game to be with luminescent fauna filling caves.
The gameplay that he saw also showcased environmental action such as swimming will be present in the game. There will also be interactable environments such as rubble blocking the player’s path that abilities can be used on to help traverse.
From what it sounds the game is poised to be a very good addition to the Xbox’s roster of games. We will have to wait to see these elements fully revealed to the public.
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