Avowed Game Director Avoids Directly Comparing To Skyrim

It’s no secret that there are tons of comparisons going out online regarding Avowed and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. You would find it difficult for someone not to make those comparisons whenever you get a fantasy first-person RPG. That’s the same viewpoint that the game director of Avowed, Carrie Patel, shares. Recently, the game director sat down with PCGamesN and offered some comments about where Obsidian Entertainment feels Avowed stands on its own compared to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. 

During their conversation, Carrie Patel noted that where Obsidian Entertainment feels it’s different is the scope. Compared to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, players shouldn’t feel like they are dropped into a massive sandbox world without any real purpose. That’s where Avowed looks to be different, as they have a pathway for players. It seems that this game will be ushering you through the game narrative a bit with a real sense of what needs to happen. But there will be enough pathways between you and the finish line to explore and make your own choices. 

We have the structure of the critical path, and we want whatever constraints we’re placing on the player to be accompanied by a good sense of pacing and momentum. There’s a push and pull where even though we’ve set this path in front of the player, we’re giving them enough prompts and draws along the way that they also feel like the authors of their own story.

Carrie Patel – PCGameN

Overall, the game is still set to be an RPG similar to what you would find with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but apparently, it is a little more curated. Just what exactly the developers have planned remains to be seen. However, it does look like there are some limitations in terms of the map size. Later, during the conversation on PCGamesN, the game director noted how players can expect the world of Avowed to be broken up into zones. Patel goes on to say that they are not small, but you won’t find them to be massive. So it could look like something more in the same size scope as Obsidian’s previous release, The Outer Worlds if you’re familiar with that game. You had planets, but they were mainly broken up into smaller zones to wander around and explore. 

If you haven’t kept up tabs with Avowed, this RPG takes place in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity. Players in this game will step into the role of an envoy from the Aedyr Empire who is sent out to investigate a mysterious plague. The game is slated to release this year, though it might be at the end of the calendar year before we get our hands on it. When the title is released into the marketplace, you’ll find it available for the PC and Xbox Series X/S platforms. Of course, since this is also a first-party Microsoft title, you’ll also find the game readily available on the Game Pass subscription service at launch.