Don’t worry Xbox fans, Avowed’s graphics are going to get better
"Art will get refined in various ways."
We received our first glimpse of the new Obsidian RPG - Avowed - at the Xbox Games Showcase earlier this month in the form of a two-minute trailer. The first-person fantasy game looks pretty good, but some fans already have tempered their expectations.
The Avowed trailer was more recently shared to forum, RPG Codex, and met with a mixture of responses; some can’t wait for the game, some are sick of fantasy settings, and many others think the trailer is “the shittiest trailer I’ve seen in a while.” Ultimately, there’s over 80 pages of criticism, some of it actually being constructive, with some excitement sprinkled in from Obsidian fans.
An Obsidian developer with the username ‘Briar Diem’ soon contributed to the thread, attempting to give players a little more hope in Avowed and share some of Obsidian’s process with users. “All I can say is the game has not entered Alpha yet, art will get refined in various ways. Lighting will change. Though, designs will not change, of course. They are what they are.”
Not yet reaching Alpha period while slated for a 2024 release also concerned some fans, which Briar Diem later cleared up with, “On previous projects, Alpha periods were sometimes just a few months long. This is actually the longest we'll have for Alpha/Beta period for any game at Obsidian by a long shot, and is good news.”
“The trailer fails to show much in its two-minute run time. To clear up misconceptions though I'll say this, the game is big and open, it is unfair to compare it to Outer Worlds (I think Feargus is trying to keep expectations down just in case), which I think it is nothing alike,” Briar Diem also details.
Talking further about the Avowed trailer, Briar Diem adds, “A lot of the game is being kept hidden right now, I think you will have to wait until the next trailer or some sort of presentation to really see it, but it is safe to assume it is very Obsidian. No, the entire game isn't all bright and happy town, no it is not all so indistinct visually. There are lots of characters, quests, conversations, various game mechanics, big story, etc.”
They then add that, “development is going well right now, Microsoft is allowing Obsidian free license to do as they will, and if it is success or fails it'll be on Obsidian's own terms.”
So, ultimately Avowed is shaping up to be bigger than other Obsidian titles, and will no doubt look better than it does in the trailer shown off during the Xbox Games Showcase, if Briar Diem is correct. Now, we just need to wait to hear more official news on the game, and see what spell-slinging across the world of Eora is really like.
For those only just hearing about Obsidian’s Avowed (where have you been?), the game is set in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity. Players will be taking over an envoy from the Aedyr Empire and will then be sent to investigate a strange plague affecting the remote region of Living Lands. Throughout your adventure, you can expect to use magic, melee, and firearms to tackle brilliant beasts across the open zones, and even befriend NPC’s in typical Obsidian style.
What do you reckon to Avowed so far? Are you quaking at the thought of Obsidian’s take on Skyrim, or did the trailer make you yawn?